If you do a quick Google search for the “Top New Year’s Resolutions for 2019,” personal health tops the list for both men and women with things like exercising more, eating better, reducing stress, and sleeping more. If you made a resolution this year, it’s likely that it falls somewhere into the health and wellness realm too, and that’s a good thing! Investing in your health is always worth it! You can check this useful link to consult expert physicians to get the right guidelines within the comforts of your home.
But coming up with an idea for a resolution is only the first step. To actually make it happen, you need a solid goal and action plan, and maybe even a little help. At the Wisconsin Women’s Health Foundation, we know, because our entire mission is dedicated to innovating, impacting, and improving health.
Setting a SMART goal
SMART goal-setting is a method which encourages you to really think through your goal and come up with a solid plan. It’s a method we use frequently at the WWHF with our own program participants, because research shows it improves the odds of success.
What is a SMART goal? A SMART goal is one that is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-oriented. Let’s look at an example…
Using diet, a good goal would be: I’m going to cut back on junk food in the new year, but a SMART goal would be: I’m going to decrease my sugar intake by replacing 1 soda per day with water over the next 4 weeks.
This goal is SMART because it’s:
Specific: What do I want to do? I want to cut back on junk food by decreasing my sugar intake from soda.
Measurable: How will I measure my progress? Each day, I will replace 1 soda with water.
Achievable: Can I see myself reaching this goal? What steps will I take? What resources do I need? I prefer flavor to my drinks, so I can add lemon or lime to my water to make it more enjoyable.
Relevant: How does this fit into my life? I can keep a water bottle on my desk at work . That way, when I’m thirsty, I’m not as tempted to go to the vending machine for a soda.
Time-oriented: How long will it take to reach my goal? What is my timeline or target date? I will do this for 4 weeks.
Now it’s your turn! Try creating a SMART goal for your own resolution, using this handy dandy SMART goal-setting worksheet!
Tapping Into Resources
Great! Now you have your SMART goal and a plan of action, but don’t forget to also get other people involved. Another way to help you succeed in keeping your goal is to create a community of support and accountability, so tap into those resources!
Can the Wisconsin Women’s Health Foundation help you make it happen? Make sure to visit our website to see how our programs can assist you! We have services and educational opportunities for a wide range of health and wellness-related goals like quitting smoking, improving self-care, managing stress, preventing chronic disease, and more!
Here’s to a happy and healthy you in 2019!