Setting Goals and a 2 Year Health Plan

(Simonton, p.105)
"The goals to set in your 2 year health plan are bottom-line goals, the minimum you intend to accomplish.....This week, do no more than setting your goals in the first 3 areas. Take several weeks to complete your work on this assignment."

"Creating Your Plan

Step One

Life activities have artificially been divided into 6 different categories: purpose in life, play, exercise, social support, nutrition, and creative thinking.

1. Purpose in life: Activities that answer the question, 'Why am I here?' These might include your occupation, your role in the family, your spiritual or civic activities, or anything else that gives you reason or zest for living.

2. Play: Any activity that produces the feeling of joy or that can be considered as 'having fun.'

3. Exercise: Any physical activity or any time spent mentally focusing on physical activities (especially for those temporarily unable to exercise).

4. Social support: The time you spend with family and friends, or times you spend with a psychotherapist, minister, church group or support group.

5. Nutrition: This category includes not just eating, but any efforts you make around food and nutrition -- preparing meals, taking vitamins, going to support groups that focus on diet, and reading or educating yourself about food and nutrition. Your beliefs about food and nutrition are vitally important.

6. Creative thinking: Meditation and imagery are included in this category, as are any specific forms of intentional relaxation. Reading, seminars, or courses related to these areas can also be included.

Step Two

On a sheet of paper, write down each category, then list the activities you do in each category.....Looking ahead 2 years, what would you most like to change?....."

Step Three

Rank the order of the categories as based on your desire to work on them, plus your experience with them. For example, if you spend most of your energy on social support but you would really like to spend more time on diet and nutrition, then [that] might be your first priority.....

Step Four

Now you will begin to set more specific goals. For your first goal, your number one priority, you will create a three month goal. I recommend to our patients that this goal be half of whatever they are currently doing in that category. [If you now 8 healthy meals a week, write 4 per week, because you are setting a lower limit, not upper]
.....After the three month goal, create a six month goal, then a nine month goal.
.....This method of setting goals also confronts fear-producing thoughts like, 'I've got to hurry up and make some changes or I am going to die.' Setting a gentle pace helps you to deal with that kind of desperation and fear in a healthy way.
.....Finally, be aware of a crucial category not listed here: rest. Pay attention to when you need to rest in any area.

Step Five

Now you are ready to write down goals for your second priority. The first goal that you will set is a six month goal. The second is your nine month goal. Stop there and go on to your third priority.

Step Six

The first step you will set for the activity you listed third is a nine month goal. This is the only goal you will write down at this time for this category."

Simonton recommends taking time for the first 3 categories, then taking several weeks to outline the rest of your goals.