SMART Goals for Health and Wellbeing

Most of us, if not all, strive to do better and to become a better version of ourselves. For some people it is a daily habit, while for others it is an aspiration that comes every week, month or even once a year. This quest for achievement can be related to any aspect of life - at work, during studies, while starting a new hobby, while trying to develop a new skill, or regarding personal matters and lifestyle.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) the definition of health is:

A state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

Although some may argue that the above definition could come across as unrealistic and even quite controversial since the word 'complete' is used, it demonstrates that being healthy does not only constitute the absence of disease but rather a complex combination involving physical, mental and social factors.

The aforementioned definition also links health with wellbeing, which is simply defined as:

The experience of health, happiness and prosperity.

Achieving a state of wellbeing is a common goal for everyone. It is about having a balanced health triangle - reaching a certain level of physical, mental and social wellbeing. Although the true concept behind wellbeing is very broad, we can say that a significant part of it is related to aspects over which we have control such as our thoughts and actions, and since wellbeing and health have intertwining relationship, it is imperative to be able to know how to effectively improve them and maintain the benefits in the long term.

Improving health and wellbeing is important, there is no denying that. Some of the common goals include drinking more water, exercising more, or eating more healthy. However, with no clear approach to goal setting, the big chance is that achieving the desired success especially in the long term will be difficult. Setting oneself a goal without clear boundaries or ways to measure success will often lead to disappointment, frustration and confusion. To increase chances of succeeding at achieving goals, we must first focus on how we will exactly do that by enhancing our approach to setting these goals.

Specific - defining precisely what the goal will be.

Measurable - developing a method for measuring progress to keep on track.

Attainable - having the right resources and tools to help you reach your goal.

Relevant/ Realistic - setting an achievable goal that aligns with your values.

Below are several examples of the most common health-related goals using the SMART framework that demonstrate its concept in action, and which can be used as a general guide for the application of own specific goals:

After 2 days, I will start consuming 3 servings of vegetables and 3 servings of fruits daily for a period of 4 weeks and will note it down each day. Before I start, I will do research on the healthy types of food that I can incorporate into my diet.

I will start doing meditation on weekends starting next week, with each session lasting 10 minutes. I will do this for the next 4 weeks, then will increase duration to last for 20 minutes and will do this for another 4 weeks. Following this, I will add an extra day every week with the aim of achieving a daily meditation practice.Enhancing fitness

Starting on Monday, I will start doing 30 minutes of physical exercise 3 times per week - on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. This will involve 10 minutes of brisk walking followed by 20 minutes of jogging. After 2 weeks I will extend the exercise session to include also Thursday, and the following week I will extend it to Friday. Therefore, by 4 weeks and thereafter, I will aim to do 30-minute exercise sessions during weekdays.Losing weight

To reach an ideal weight I want to lose 10 Kg over the next 6 months by following a healthy dietary plan without any junk or processed foods in addition to regular exercise. I will measure my weight every week and record it on a piece of paper that is stuck on the fridge. Therefore, by September my target weight will be 70 Kg.Improving hydration

Starting tomorrow I will drink a minimum of 2 litres of water per day. I will set up a reminder on my phone for reminding me to fill up my water bottle the night before, then a reminder every 1 hour interval during the day to take a sip of water. After one month, I will delete all the reminders on my phone because I aim to make this habit part of my daily routine.Boosting mood

I want to eliminate negative thinking by developing a more positive mindset that focuses on gratitude. I will do this starting next Monday by writing in a journal 3 things that I am grateful for in my life. I will do this for 5 minutes every morning. This will help me maintain perspective when things get tough in life.Stopping smoking

My aim is to stop smoking completely on the first day of next May. Starting tomorrow, I will smoke a total of 20 cigarettes per day for the first week; this will be reduced to 15 per day the following week, then 10 for the week after, and finally 5 cigarettes per day during the last week before I completely stop. I will keep a log of all the cigarettes I smoke to monitor my progress and keep on track. I will do all the necessary research about stopping smoking in order to be fully aware of the process and what to expect.Further to the above, it is recommended to add several steps to the plan in order to help increase chances of achieving success such as:

Noting down all the SMART goals in detail and making it easily accessible.

Making someone close aware of the SMART goals and keeping them informed of the progress in order to increase self-accountability and motivation.

Having ambitious health goals is often intimidating and even overwhelming at times especially in our already stressful and action-packed lives. Having SMART goals is

a great method to help ensure that these goals are achieved. Because it allows the individual to be better prepared for their goal-setting journey by putting a clearer end result in sight, and by providing more control over the whole process.

However, even if goals are SMART, one can easily encounter many obstacles along the way and experience certain setbacks. For this reason, having the right attitude and mindset are key to successfully achieving set goals, then once achieved, it is important to maintain the same level of determination to turn them into long term changes to lifestyle - one which focuses on having an optimal health and wellbeing, the SMART way.

<Picture(s) credit to the rightful owner(s)>