Build healthy routines with SMART goals

What are routines?

Routines are regular, recurring actions or behaviours.

They help to structure everyday life and complete tasks more efficiently. If routines become a habit, the decision-making effort is reduced and processes are simplified.

If a new routine is to be established, the activity or behaviour must first be controlled proactively and regularly. The more routine a behaviour becomes, the less actively it needs to be controlled. Over time, an activity becomes a routine and habit that runs automatically. According to studies, it takes at least six to nine weeks for behaviour to become a routine or habit.

Routines are often goal-oriented. They can also be geared towards health goals. The following are examples of health routines:

Routinely brushing your teeth in the morning contributes to oral health, which in turn can influence cardiovascular health. A healthy bedtime routine can improve the quality of sleep, which can have an impact on general well-being and health. Certain routines can also reduce stress, introduce a healthier diet or increase activity levels. Similar to a lever, routines can be a valuable tool to change behaviour sustainably and effectively.

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Why are routines important?

Routines are generally associated with many benefits when they aim to build positive habits. Routines also play an essential role in health and disease management, as they help to establish long-term behavioural changes and promote healthy habits. They create structure, predictability and consistency, which is particularly important for achieving health goals. This is because when healthy behaviours become routine, they are more likely to be implemented without much thought.

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Consistency and continuity routines

Routines make it easier to implement healthy behaviours on a permanent basis. This can include regular exercise, meditation in the evening, a balanced diet or taking medication.

Routines are centred on repetitive activities. This regularity creates habits that require less mental effort over time.

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Routines for structure

A good routine creates clear structures for the day. This structure can reduce uncertainty and stress, as it runs automatically as a fixed part of the day. If activities become a habit through a routine, you no longer have to actively question whether and when an activity should take place.

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SMART goals for new routines and habits

Routines are goal-oriented. So before changing something, it is important to realise why you want to change it. You should also formulate a clear goal that you want to achieve with a routine.

I want to live healthier, I want to be able to cope better with stress or I want to exercise more regularly are good goals in terms of content. However, they are more difficult to achieve because they are not specific, not measurable and not scheduled.

SMART goals can help to clearly define goals. Setting SMART goals can increase the likelihood of achieving them.

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Define SMART goals

SMART goals refer to objectives, that are specific, measurable, attractive/achievable, relevant and terminate. Thus, smart is also an acronym in this regard.

• Specific:
  A goal should be clearly and unambiguously defined. Example: ‘I will go for a 20-minute walk every morning’ instead of ‘I want to get fitter.’
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• Measurable:
  It should be possible to measure progress and success. Example: ‘I will exercise 3 times a week for 30 minutes’ instead of ‘do more sport’.
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• Attractive/achievable:
  The goal should be personally motivating, based on a clear why. It should also be realistic so that goals can be achieved. Example: ‘I will increase my daily step count from 4,000 to 6,000 within 3 months.’
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• Relevant:
  The goal should fit in with the person's general health goals and life circumstances. Example: ‘Regular exercise will improve my energy and heart health.’
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• Timed:
  There should be a clear deadline. Example: ‘I will lose 5kg within 6 months.’
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A formulated goal that is SMART could therefore read: I want to feel fitter and spend more time in the fresh air. To do this, I will go for a walk around the block after lunch over the next four weeks.

Goals are very personal. They are influenced by your current state of health and lifestyle. For an inactive person, the above example may fit well. After the first four weeks, this goal would be evaluated and renewed or adjusted to continue building the routine.