We as occupational therapists want to partner with you in what matters most to you as an individual. Goals are just a way to put what you want to do in therapy in writing.
SMART is an acronym for guiding someone how to write a goal. It stands for:
S – SPECIFIC: what do I want to accomplish?
M – MEASURABLE: evidence that the goal is focused and measurable.
A – ATTAINABLE: goal needs to be challenging but reachable.
R – RELEVANT: goal should measure outcomes not activities.
T – TIMEBOUND: a set time that you can devote to your goal.
The following is an example of an attainable goal:
I would like to improve my: Improving balance
My goal is to strengthen functional balance training. I have set specific tasks to improve my balance. For instance, stepping and standing and I will do this at a set time every day.
I will accomplish this goal by doing a set of specific exercises at a set time every day. I will make sure I do this for 25 minutes every day for four months.
I will make sure my goal is attainable by getting the correct equipment and setting aside a specific time each and every day.
I will examine my goal after my set time of four months and together with my occupational therapist we will measure its success.
Your goal should be well defined and clear, ask yourself: What am I trying to accomplish? Why am I pursuing this goal? Set clear and concrete objectives. Remember what matters to you is what matters to us. We want to work together with you to make positive change after all, that’s what we are here to do. We are committed to helping you achieve your best life!
