Use This SMART Goal Formula to Be More Productive
SMART goals are usually associated with teams as managers set them for subordinates, but you can implement this performance improvement strategy for yourself and on an individual level. Try to define SMART goals before embarking on a project to make sure you stay on task and focused on what’s important to the outcome.
What are SMART goals?
If you’re unfamiliar with SMART goals, let’s start with the most basic fact: I’m an acronym for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. It was articulated by George T. Doran in 1981, who turned to Management Review in order to criticize what he saw as poor goal setting by many companies. He suggested that goals be aligned with these five characteristics—although in his original version, the “A” stood for “assignable” rather than “achievable”—so that workers would have more referrals. He talked about well-defined goals so that everyone in the workplace is on the same page, but SMART goals can be good for you, even if you’re working alone, because they help you determine exactly what you need for your goals. the order to be followed.
How do you implement SMART goals in your life?
According to Atlassian , you should write SMART goal statements, making sure your statement contains all five criteria. For example, if you’re a freelance photographer working on a big wedding, you could write, “My goal is to have all wedding photos edited and sent to clients by next Friday. I will do this by setting aside time each day of the week to edit them in batches. Achieving this goal will help me stay ahead of schedule, ensure timely payment, and get positive customer feedback.”
It’s specific because it’s tied to one well-defined goal, manageable because you commit to making time to accomplish it, achievable because you’ve given yourself enough time to do it, relevant because it’s related to the photo shoot you just completed, and limited in time because the schedule and deadlines are clearly set out.
Productivity guru Brian Tracy says you should think of your SMART goals as a personal mission , using them to define exactly what you need to do, how you will do it, and when you will do it. The benefit of using these options for goal setting is that anything outside of the five guidelines can be ignored so you can focus on the most important elements.
Use SMART goals to build new habits — like eating a healthy breakfast every morning or not talking on the phone for an hour before bed — or taking on big projects. Write them down in your diary or on your phone so you can always see them and refer to them in all their straightforward simplicity when you need a reminder of what your priorities should be.