Christmas time is a great time of the year. Friends, Family and Fun. A bit more time to relax, take it easy, have a few more mince pies, sit on the sofa and forget about “the daily routine”.
It is only when “normality” arrives on January 2nd that you realise that you have pushed it too far! It is amazing how quickly all the good work you have done all year could be set back over a few days.
Why? Because control needs routine and good pain management relies on routine.
At Pain Relief Ireland we recognise that, even with the best intention in the world sticking to a routine can be difficult even at the best of times not just over the festive season.
But at Pain Relief Ireland we want you to be S.M.A.R.T. We want to ensure that even as you enjoy yourself you can be on top of your pain so that you are in control of your pain.
Goals are a great way of staying in control because they cause us to stretch and grow in ways that we never have before. In order to reach our goals, we must become better.
Be S.M.A.R.T set Goals!
The acronym S.M.A.R.T. means Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely.
Specific:
- With specific goals there is no place to waffle. Write them down. Stick them on your fridge door to remind you of these goals. There is no place to be vague. Ambiguous goals produce ambiguous results. Incomplete goals produce incomplete futures.
Measurable:
- Always set goals that are measurable. We would say “specifically measurable” to take into account our principle of being specific. How far have you walked? Have you swum?
Achievable:
- One of the detrimental things that many people do—with good intentions—is setting goals that are so high that they are unattainable. Set a goal then reduce it by 20%! You can gradually increase it and always remaining in control.
Realistic:
- The root word of realistic is “real.” A goal has to be something that we can reasonably make “real” or a “reality” in our lives. There are some goals that are simply not realistic. You have to be able to say, even if it is a tremendously stretching goal, that yes, indeed, it is entirely realistic—that you could make it. You may even have to say that it will take x, y and z to do it, but if those happen, then it can be done. This is in no way to say it shouldn’t be a big goal, but it must be realistic.
Timely:
- Every goal should have a timeframe attached to it. One of the powerful aspects of a great goal is that it has an end—a time in which you are shooting to accomplish it. As time goes by, you work on it because you don’t want to get behind, and you work diligently because you want to meet the deadline. You may even have to break down a big goal into different parts of measurement and timeframes—that is OK. Set smaller goals and work them out in their own time. A S.M.A.R.T. goal has a timeline.
The most important benefit of setting goals isn’t achieving your goal; it’s what you do and the person you become in order to achieve your goal that’s the real benefit.
Sometimes you may need support or encouragement to help you keep on track and that where Pain Relief Ireland and Dr. Hegarty can help. If you need give us a ring on 021 235 5500 and we will be delighted to help.
