Throughout your journey to recovery, it’s important to incorporate goal-setting to increase your chances of long-term success. Goals can provide you with a sense of purpose and help you prioritize your actions and behaviors moving forward. That’s where setting SMART recovery goals comes into play.
How to Set SMART Recovery Goals
To set a SMART recovery goal for yourself, you need to think about it in the following terms.
Specific
Your recovery goal needs to be as specific as possible. You need to come up with exactly what it is that you want to accomplish so you have a clear idea of what to aim for.
Measurable
Your recovery goal also needs to be measurable. Regardless of whether you create a week deadline or a six-month deadline, having measurable goals keeps you on track and allows you to easily see progress over time.
Achievable
When you are setting a recovery goal, keep in mind that you don’t want to create a goal that will be too easy for you to accomplish or one that will be unrealistic. You want to come up with a goal that will challenge you, but is still achievable.
Realistic
Similar to being achievable, you want your goal to be relevant and realistic to where you are in your recovery journey. Consider what kinds of goals would deliver the greatest impact and help you achieve something that matters to you. Having a relevant, realistic goal will keep you inspired and more willing to put in the effort to achieve it.
Time-Bound
You can create either a short-term or a long-term recovery goal. Regardless of which you decide to create, though, the most important thing to keep in mind is to have a set time that you want to complete it by.
Don’t be vague when creating a time deadline. The more specific you can be the better. Try to come up with a particular date.
How to Track Your Progress in Recovery
While setting SMART recovery goals is one way to encourage long-term success, you also need to have a way to track your progress. Depending on whether you are working towards a short- or long-term goal, it’s beneficial to have a certain day each week or month where you review and evaluate your progress.
Frequently tracking your progress can help you identify obstacles and come up with ways to either navigate them or adjust your goal. Remember, roadblocks or setbacks are not signs of failure — they are simply opportunities to become more self-aware and refine your goal.
Having an accountability partner or support system and celebrating victories will make the recovery journey all the more meaningful.
Get Started on Your Road to Recovery at AppleGate
Here at AppleGate Recovery, we can help you reach your long-term recovery goals. Setting goals can help to deal with triggers in recovery. Our physicians and treatment professionals specialize in medication-assisted rehab for those battling opioid addiction.
We’ve made the journey to recovery simple and straightforward. We design our plans to let you keep living your life while undergoing our treatment and support services.
If you are ready to get started on your individualized treatment plan, contact us today.