Making a goal for a healthy lifestyle and making a plan to actualize your goals are two different matters. According to Forbes Health and OnePoll, 62% of people reported that improved physical and mental health was a top goal.
People often reach their goals when the goals are realistic and measurable. But what does tracking a goal entail? We hope this article offers helpful insight so that you can actualize a lifestyle you love.
Foster Healthy Habits: Create a System for Tracking Goals
According to the same survey, 52% of people setting goals use a resource to measure and track their health-related goals. Breaking a lofty goal into small, actionable steps is a great way to align the lifestyle you want with the lifestyle you have.
Many people express a goal to “exercise more.” Before creating a system to track that, make that goal more specific. What kind of exercise motivates you to move? During the day, what time are you most likely to exercise? Once refined, this same goal can be, “I want to run twice a week after work with my coworker, Ryan.”
The specific exercise is now measurable. Now you can create a simple spreadsheet, a post-workout note in Google Calendar, or even a handwritten note in a planner that tracks if you ran that week. It is also a specific goal, with the boost of an “accountability buddy” like Ryan who can help you stay on track with a shared goal.
There are apps available to help you reach any health-related goals. Sharing your goals with a therapist may help set a realistic plan, gain a sense of what blocks you from certain behaviors, and build actionable steps based on what motivates you.
We encourage residents in Redding, Eureka, Fairfield, Woodland, and Monterey to request an appointment to work with a NAMHS therapist in person or inquire about our online therapy care.
