Creating Achievable and Measurable Objectives

Anotherself-management technique that is important is structuring goals in such a way that a person will be able to make proper use of his/her time. Making goals therefore concrete and measurable also helps in providing directions, boosting interest, and organizing tasks. As mentioned above there are some principles and steps that can be undertaken in this structured goal-setting process.

Smart goals framework:

The most frequently applied method of goal definition is the use of the SMART criteria. SMART statistically stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Of great importance is that through this approach, the goals that are set and to be achieved are done systematically and within the given time frame.

Specific: One must indicate goals and overall objectives; there should be no room for ambiguity. For example, a specific goal must contain information in response to questions related to who, what, where, when and why. For instance, an example of an ineffective goal is “I have to lose some weight…” An example of an effective goal is “I need to improve my heart health, therefore I will jog 3 times a week for 30 minutes.

Measurable: Goals that are measurable help in defining achievements and hence would help in assisting one to get motivated. This involves the identification of success criteria or elements. For instance, if the specific behavioral objective set out was to read more books the following can be defined as a measurable sub objective – To read one book monthly.

Achievable: It cannot be overstated that goals have to be clear, specific, credible, and measurable. Therefore, it is recommended not to set high goals because it can excessively stress all the participants involved in the process. The next thing that a person should consider is the current resources, which are the capabilities or constraints. For instance, if a person starts exercising, it will be unreasonable to make a resolution to run a marathon in a specific month after one has resolved to exercise. Therefore, a more achievable and perhaps more practical goal might be to be able to run 5,000m within three months.

Relevant: Goals should always be consistent with your organizational objectives and personal/appraisal values. They must be relevant to you and should offer some tangible value to your plan or objective in life. For instance, if one has a long-term career plan of being a project manager, then the plan of passing a project management certification exam would be relevant and helpful.

Time-bound: It is always important to work with deadlines since they make one alert and most importantly help in prioritizing. A time-bound goal indicates when it is planned that it will be accomplished. For instance, “lose 10 pounds by the end of three months;” this program is easy to follow as it provides a timeline.

Regular review and adjustment:

In fact, goal setting is a dynamic process that has to be revisited constantly and with sufficient frequency. Set up our weekly meetings to check how the progress is going, discuss the successes, and if there are any difficulties encountered on the way. This lets you keep your eye on the goal and/or course of action and make changes as needed. For instance, if earlier you set your target of exercising five times a week and realized that it is impossible, then try setting your goal as exercising 3 times a week and then try increasing the intensity gradually.

Thanks for reading.