Developing S.M.A.R.T GOALS – to help us deal with CHANGE

The blog on CHANGE reminded us that any type of CHANGE can be stressful, challenging, or even overwhelming. But, over time and with some insight and hard work, that CHANGE can prove to be positive and useful.

A planned change—developing an exercise program, losing or gaining weight, embarking on a new career or relationship, going back to school—may be stressful. But it is a change that we have made ourselves. We are ready; we are in control. It can therefore be considered a more positive stressor.

And life brings with it normal changes, which many of us can work through on our own, with the help and support of our friends and family, or with physical and mental health-care

providers, It may be difficult, but over time, we can establish a ‘new’ plan or direction.

A major challenge often occurs when the CHANGE is unexpected or sudden. Physical injury,

concussion, loss of a body part, a death or illness of people close to us.

We are likely overwhelmed and unprepared for all the changes that need to happen for us to

deal with this new situation.

Over time, and with help, we try and move forward in our lives.

But no matter how helpful our medical, health or exercise providers can be, it is up to US to

create our own individual pathway.

And because everyone has their own personality, there may be times when the professional and the person in need of help (the patient) are NOT the best match.

There may also be times when the plan or goals established by the professional may NOT

meet the needs of the traumatized person.

Scheduling, pacing, organizing, planning, are all very important and essential tools that can be used to develop a realistic (and even beneficial) treatment/recovery plan.

But it is also important for each one of us to be our own advocate (or have someone who knows us well) assist with this planning. It is essential to work with rehabilitation/exercise personnel who can understand and acknowledge our physical as well as emotional needs at this specific time.

A framework that many rehabilitation providers use to dialogue about establishing realistic

treatment goals, use the acronym S.M.A.R.T.

1. SPECIFIC

2. MANAGEABLE

3. ACHIEVABLE

4. REALISTIC

5. TIMELY

Let us look at a few situations:

Scenario One:

I was a good tennis player before the accident. My leg has healed, and the doctor

has told me I can now put full weight on the limb. I will develop my own training

routine and decide if I need to also work with an exercise trainer to get me back

on the court.

• I will try and move/run back and forth across the driveway as if I was in a tennis

  court

• I will count how many times I can do this before I need to rest and/or my leg

  tells me ‘Enough’

• I have been able to go back and forth three times. I will work on increasing that

  number each day

• (After 2 weeks) Not feeling too bad. I will now increase my speed and run for 5

  minutes

• I have been able to increase that time to 15 minutes, though it has taken me an

  additional 3 weeks

• Let’s see if I can also hold the tennis racquet, hit the tennis ball and run at the

  same time. (Laughing, well, that did not work out well.)

Over time, our tennis player may be able to get back to playing tennis, but he may not be able to regain all his skills and be the great player he was before the accident.

If he was a tennis professional, this situation could certainly be a bigger problem because he

would have to consider other work options.

Scenario Two:

The deadline for submitting my thesis is in 6 months. How am I going to be able to do

this? The car accident has left me with headaches, dizziness, and neck pain. Even though everyone says I look fine, I am lucky to have survived that terrible crash. I feel terrible!

• I tried working on the computer for a few minutes. I moved the laptop onto several

  surfaces of different heights. I cannot look at the screen, think, and write at the same

  time.

• I must go back to my family doctor and tell him/her that I am having these problems.

• Perhaps I need to see another specialist.”

• And time moves on, and our student now acknowledges that he needs more time to

  recover from injuries sustained in the accident.

• He also needs to speak to his supervisor at university and arrange for an extension to

  submit his thesis.

• He also acknowledges that he will need more help at home with cooking and cleaning.

  And because he feels anxious when he drives his car, he must arrange to have friends

  take him to appointments or contact his insurance company and have them pay for taxi

  service.
  

  

A very challenging scenario, resulting in the need to make many changes.

Working with S.M.A.R.T. goals as a framework, it is evident that there are times when many

changes must occur before any new 'routine’ can be established.

It can be challenging to use words like ‘minutes’ (rather than as long as it takes) or at a slow

speed l (rather than as fast as possible) and still feel we will recover from physical or emotional trauma.

But there are many good helping professionals and caring family and friends around us.

It may take time, and a little trial and error to find the right team of people and professionals to work with you.

Acknowledging that we may not be able to do it alone is the first step to success.