Are you trying to improve your mental health in 2021? Do you want to make sure you are fit and healthy after the terrible year that has just passed? If so, then you need to set goals.
One easy way to do this is to line up some SMART targets. They are a scheme used in education to make improvements, and they can be applied just as well to your health. Below, we help you make some SMART mental health goals for 2021.
Specific
Be specific about the goals you are going to set and what you are hoping to achieve. You need to have something in mind, that is either an action or an achievement, that shows your mental health has improved. If you do not have one, how can you tell that you have made progress?
This could be anything, from fixing a broken relationship to managing fears or insecurities. Set them in stone, and begin aiming for them as quickly as possible. A specific goal could be to take better care of your body, by visiting a gym three times a week or cutting down on unhealthy habits.
Measure Your Mental Health Goals
The steps you will take also need to be measurable. For example, ‘be more positive’ is not a measurable mental wellbeing goal. How can you tell if you are being more positive, or how can you check that you are doing it regularly?
It is much better to set goals that you can measure and stick with. For example, doing an activity once a day, or setting a target that you will do in a specified time period will always work well. Mindfulness is a great, measurable goal, as you can set yourself a target to do it once a day for a set time period.
Make It Achievable
The final goal you set yourself has to be achievable. In fact, it is much better to get easy to attain goals and build up to larger ones. If you set a goal that is not attainable, or unlikely to be attained in a short time period, then it could damage your mental health more than repair it.
Relevant
Goal setting must be relevant, and take you in a direction that you want to go in. This is the hardest part to get right, as very often the things you believe make you happy, are not actually the things you want and need at all.
This goes quite deep into the psyche of what is making you unhappy. It may help if you discuss this with a friend, family member, or even seek professional assistance. Getting support is one of the best ways to begin improving your mental health.
Set a Timescale
Set a timescale in which to achieve your goals. If not, they could be going on for weeks and years. With no deadline insight, you may also be tempted to put them to the back of your mind and ignore the issues.
Take Time to Recover
Before setting any mental health goals, sit back, and take stock of where you want to go and what will make you happy. Only then can you set the correct targets using the formula above and work towards bettering your mind.
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