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Practicing daily self-care is extremely important in maintaining a good outlook on life and good mental health. Being happy and well-rounded starts with being able to take care of yourself.
However, there are challenges faced when practicing daily self-care, and this is where SMART goals play an important role. SMART goals allow you to set specific, measurable, and attainable goals that should be achieved reasonably.
This article looks at 5 self-care SMART goal examples to show you what we are talking about. Our aim is to provide you with the information you need to set your own SMART goals so you can practice self-care daily.
What Are SMART Goals?
Before we can provide you with examples of SMART goals, you first need to know what they are. SMART is an acronym that stands for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timebound.
This is a method for setting effective, precise, and fast goal achievement goals. You can overcome various self-care obstacles related by setting SMART goals. First, let's look at what each letter of the SMART acronym stands for.
Each aspect is essential to maximize your chances of achieving any goal.
If you want to learn more about SMART goals, check out this Ultimate Guide to SMART Goals.
Why Are SMART Goals Important for Practicing Daily Self-Care?
People face challenges in practicing daily self-care. One of the biggest challenges many face is recognizing we have issues that need to be dealt with. Then, dealing with them is the next step.
Many of us make simple excuses, such as I will start tomorrow. However, changing our lifestyles to ensure better physical and mental health is easier said than done. Most of us simply put it off because we think that we can just start tomorrow.
Another challenge many face is putting ourselves first. Putting family and friends first can sometimes be good, but not all of the time. You have to put yourself first when practicing daily self-care, and this is something that you may have trouble doing.
Moreover, finding time to take care of yourself can be a challenge. Many of us are busy with jobs and children, making it difficult to engage in good self-care routines and activities.
Even when we take the time to take care of ourselves, we often end up feeling guilty because we think we are being selfish, indulgent, or just unproductive and lazy.
However, the reality is that we must take care of ourselves, as our mental health depends on it. Therefore, consider setting SMART goals for yourself.
Setting precise, measurable, and achievable goals can help improve your daily self-care routine. In addition, setting specific goals you can measure will allow you to take better care of yourself.
5 SMART Goal Examples to Practice Daily Self-Care
1. Engage in a Self-Care Activity Daily
“I will set aside at least 45 minutes per day, 5 out of 7 days, to engage in a self-care activity to reduce stress levels and get some me-time, which involves taking a long and hot bubble bath.”
S: This goal is very precise—to reduce stress levels and get some me-time by setting aside a certain amount of time per day to take a bubble bath.
M: This goal is easy to measure simply by monitoring your time taking a bubble bath each day.
A: This goal is pretty easy to attain because if you schedule your day well enough, you should be able to get at least 45 minutes to yourself.
R: This goal is relevant because taking time for yourself to destress and decompress is a daily self-care habit.
T: Although it is an ongoing goal, it is timebound because the aim is to take a bubble bath for 45 minutes every day, at least five days per week.
2. Walk Outside Every Day
“My goal is to spend at least 30 minutes per day walking outside while not having any communication devices on hand. The goal is to give me 210 minutes per week where I do not have to communicate with anybody and can spend time reflecting on my own life and progress in terms of my mental health.”
S: This goal is specific—take at least 210 minutes a week to reflect on yourself and your progress in terms of your mental health.
M: This goal is measurable because you can easily monitor how much time you spend every day or week walking without any communication devices. This goal is also subjectively measurable because you can judge how much progress you are making for yourself when you reflect inwards.
A: This goal is pretty easy to attain because you should be able to set aside at least 30 minutes per day to spend it without having to communicate with others.
R: This goal is very relevant because taking time to decompress is vital to your overall mental health and is a big part of daily self-care.
T: This goal is timebound because the aim is to continue taking at least 30 minutes per day for yourself every day.
3. Take a Break from the Kids
“At least once a week, I will get friends or family members to care for the children for an afternoon to allow myself free time to do what I please without being constrained by children to care for. My goal is to use this time to decompress, relax, and reflect on my own life and goals.”
S: This goal is specific—to get somebody to take care of your children one afternoon per week to provide time for you to reflect and relax.
M: This goal is measurable by monitoring how much time you spend reflecting and relaxing without your children present.
A: This goal is attainable because there are usually friends or family to take care of kids, daycare centers, etc.
R: This goal is relevant because you need time to take care of yourself.
T: This goal is timebound on an ongoing basis because it repeats every week.
4. Limit Alcohol Intake
“My goal is to reduce the amount of alcohol I drink weekly from 12 beers to 3 beers, and I will only consume alcohol once per week instead of 3 times per week, which will help manage my depression and physical health. I aim to achieve this goal within the next month.”
S: This goal is very precise—to reduce your alcohol intake by a certain amount within a certain period to manage physical health and depression.
M: This goal is measurable by monitoring how many alcoholic drinks you have per day or week.
A: This goal is attainable because many means can help you reduce your alcohol intake.
R: This goal is relevant because reducing alcohol intake is directly related to self-care, particularly physical and mental health.
T: This goal is timebound because the aim is to reduce alcohol consumption by a certain amount within the next month.
5. Eat More Healthy Foods
“My goal is to reduce the amount of meat eaten weekly, from 7 to 4 servings, and eat more vegetables and healthy foods. In addition, I plan to eat at least 3 servings of vegetables and fruits daily to maintain physical health. The overall goal is to lose 2 pounds per week and 24 pounds within the next 3 months.”
S: This goal has many specifics—to decrease meat intake, increase healthy food intake, and lose a certain amount of weight within a specific time frame.
M: This goal is easy to measure by monitoring your food intake and keeping track of your weight using a bathroom scale.
A: This goal is attainable by setting strict dietary rules and other healthy eating means.
R: This goal is relevant because a good, balanced diet is essential for daily self-care.
T: This goal is timebound, and the aim is to start immediately. The other timebound aspect of this goal is to lose 2 pounds per week for 12 consecutive weeks.
Final Thoughts on SMART Goal Examples to Practice Daily Self-Care
As you can see, SMART goals can help provide the structure you need to take better care of yourself every day. If you have trouble practicing self-care, set SMART goals for yourself, as they make any goal easier to achieve.
And if you want more SMART goal ideas and examples, be sure to check out these blog posts:
- 5 SMART Goal Examples to Improve Your Positive Mental Health
- 6 SMART Goals Examples to Improve Your Relationship
- 8 SMART Goals Examples for Building More Confidence
Finally, if you want to take your goal-setting efforts to the next level, check out this FREE printable worksheet and a step-by-step process that will help you set effective SMART goals.
