Setting SMART goals this New Year!

By Tatum Williams, MD

It’s a new year and a new you! The time has rolled around again to write down your New Year’s resolutions and make good on your goals. Many people use this time to kickstart changes to improve their health. Unfortunately, research shows that almost 80% of New Year’s resolutions, no matter how well intentioned, come to an end by the second week of February. Often this is because the goals we set are too broad or unrealistic. For example, the goals to exercise more or eat healthier, while great ideas, do not give us a strong foundation to achieve those goals. Without specific steps and smaller milestones, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed or discouraged when progress is slower than expected. When changes don’t happen right away, it’s easy to lose motivation, but slow and steady wins the race. 

Small changes are easier to incorporate into your daily routine and make consistent change over time. For instance, deciding to completely cut out carbohydrates in your diet may feel attainable in short bursts when the idea is fresh, but this is very hard to keep up for more than a couple of weeks. A smaller, more sustainable change such as switching out your pastas and breads for whole grain options will still help improve your cholesterol and lower your risk for developing diabetes, and you will be more likely to continue your resolution throughout the year.

With small changes in mind, a good way to make your resolutions last clear through to December is to set SMART goals. These goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound. Here are some examples:

Specific: Be clear about what you want to achieve. For example, if you want to improve your fitness, state how often you’ll exercise and what type of exercise you will do.

Measurable: Choose a goal that you can track, your daily servings of fruits and vegetables or drinking 8 glasses of water each day. Tracking progress helps keep you motivated and accountable. 

Achievable: Make sure your goal is realistic for your current situation. If you’re new to exercise, aiming for 30 minutes a day, five days a week, could be daunting, but going on a 10-15 minute walk each day and working up from there is much more doable. If you are already active, you can challenge yourself with more intense or longer workouts. 

Relevant: Your goal should matter to you. Pick something that aligns with your values and will have a meaningful impact on your life. For example, improving your heart health, building strength or managing stress can all be strong motivators. 

Time-bound: Set a timeframe for checking your progress. For example, “I will reduce my sugar intake by 25% within the next two months” or “I will have my last cigarette in 1 week.” Having a time frame gives you a sense of urgency and helps you stay focused. 

No matter what SMART goal you may set, it’s important to be kind to yourself. Change can be hard and it is normal to have setbacks in your health journey. If you miss a workout or eat something that does not align with your resolution, do not let it ruin the hard work you’ve already put in. What matters more than the miss-steps or cheat days is the decision to keep working toward your goals. 

It is also important to have a good support system of friends, family and even your doctors to keep you motivated and accountable. Making resolutions with these people can help to keep you on track or even give you new ideas for goals to work towards. If you’re interested in improving your health but not sure what to do, your primary care doctor may have some suggestions! 

Dr. Williams is a physician at Allina Health United Family Physicians, 233 Grand Ave, St. Paul, 55102, 651-241-5200