***This content comes from the Joint Pain Programme Journal by Nuffield Health. As a Rehab Specialist running this program, I’m excited to share these helpful insights with you all.
Setting goals will create a personal "destination" for you to work towards and a clear path to get you there.
Goals provide both long-term vision and short-term motivation; they allow you to work on areas of development while also organizing your time and resources efficiently.
By setting clearly defined goals, you can measure and take pride in achievements once complete, and you’ll see continuous progress in what might have previously seemed unachievable.
Recording and monitoring your goals help you to plan realistic and achievable targets that can be adapted to ensure they work for you.
Goals should be set on several different levels, both short and long term.
First, identify the long-term goals that you want to achieve. This may be a year or more away.
Break these down into smaller goals that you must hit to reach your longer-term ones. Think about the things you would want to achieve in the next six months, three months, next month, next week, or today.
Keep operational goals small; keep the short-term goals that you’re working towards small and achievable. If a goal is too large, then it can seem that you are not progressing towards it.
State each goal as a positive statement.
Express your goals positively. “Perform this exercise technique well” is a much better-sounding goal than “Don’t make this exercise look stupid.”
Taking the SMART Route to Planning Activity Goals
For you to create your personal goals, it is important that you follow the SMART structure.
Planning my SMART activity goals
Fill in the template below with your very own SMART goals and use the example to help you be clear and specific.
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SPECIFIC
Consider: Who, what, where, and when?
Example: I will do more physical activity by doing at least 10,000 steps a day on Friday and Saturday next week. I will review and re-plan on Sunday evening.
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MEASURABLE
Consider: How much, how many?
Example: I will use my phone/a pedometer to record my step count.
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ACHIEVABLE
Consider: Can you do it? Is it out of reach?
Example: I will make sure I have good walking shoes and will choose a longer route when walking the dogs.
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REALISTIC
Consider: Is this realistic?
Example: Yes, this goal is realistic as I walk my dog every day.
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TIME-BOUND
Consider: When will you review?
Example: I want to achieve this goal within 1-2 weeks.
Your Space to Reflect
📍 Starting Point
- What goals matter most to you right now?
- How do you usually approach setting health-related goals?
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🤔 Looking Deeper
- When have you successfully achieved a health goal in the past?
- What tends to help or hinder you in reaching your goals?
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💡 Exploring Possibilities
- Which small, achievable steps could you take this week?
- How could you break down your larger goals into manageable pieces?
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🔄 New Perspectives
- How might focusing on progress rather than perfection change your approach?
- What would celebrating small victories along your journey look like?
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