In my last post, I talked about how to make your goals more specific. If you did not get a chance to read it, I encourage you to read that post first. It will help put your SMART goals into better perspective.
The next element of SMART goals is M – Measurable. A goal absolutely must be measurable. When goals are measurable, we objectively know when we achieve our goals. Without something to measure, you will never know when you reach your goal, or worse yet, when you do not reach it.
When you have ADHD, this element of goal setting becomes even more important. Distraction can too easily take you away from your goals. Post your measurement at your desk or put it on your calendar so you have somewhere to focus your attention. Without something on which to focus, that distraction will keep coming back. ADHD can also cause you to take on too much at one time. Measurement has a way of grounding you in the critical elements of a goal. Again, helping you to focus.
Consider the goal of managing time better. If you give yourself a goal of managing time better, how will you know when you have succeeded? You risk being too easy or too hard on yourself. You do not need to take that risk. Instead, set a goal that you can measure. For example, you could set a goal to get to all of your meetings and appointments at least 5 minutes early. Even if you don’t feel like your goal can be measured, come up with something. Perhaps a percentage or time frame will help.
Leave a comment with your thoughts about measurable goals, and let us know your questions.