Introduction
Now that you have a SMART goal to lower your stress levels, you need an action plan to guide you to that goal. An action plan is a series of sequential steps that move you from your starting point to your destination.
Planning is good. Execution is better. What will you do to reach the stress management goal you outlined? Your stress management goal will do nothing to lower your stress levels until you develop a clear set of steps to follow.
Welcome to REAL Social Workers Online Magazine
I am Marcyline Bailey, a licensed clinical social worker with close to 30 years of experience. I created “Stress Talk” to help women over 40 live healthy lives through strategic stress management and solution focused self-care.
So, why share this on a blog for social workers. According to Zippia 83.9% of licensed social workers are women. The average age of employed social workers is 44.
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Over the past several weeks, I shared a strategic process to help you develop your goal statement.
Every good goal has a series of actions that make it easier to reach that goal. Today we are going to talk about components of your stress management goal in detail.
Milestones
Milestones are checkpoints. They are generally celebrated when an activity is completed. Milestones are also marked by the start of an era or a phase. For example, adolescence is a milestone that is marked by the onset of puberty. Adulthood is often marked by high school graduation.
Milestones are important indicators when working towards an established goal. We check our progress by how close we are to the designated marker. When traveling, we use landmarks, cities or mile markers to see how far we are from our destination. Milestones provide more than progress monitoring. They provide motivation to continue. They also allow us to realign our actions to make sure we are working as proficiently as possible.
Dates can be used as milestones. Once check-in dates are set, we can set deadlines to expect actions to be finished.
Tasks
Tasks are the steps that need to be completed in order to reach a milestone. When setting up a stress management plan, it is necessary to prioritize tasks. Prioritizing tells you what tasks need to be finished and the order they should be accomplished.
Prioritize tasks based on importance. Ask yourself if certain tasks are more important than others. Are some tasks more likely to get you closer to your goal? Do those tasks first. Another way to prioritize is sequentially. Sequential ordering puts tasks in a chronological order. It also prioritizes tasks that need to be completed before another task.
Outlining and prioritizing tasks will encourage consistent, organized movement towards your goal.
Template
Use a template to write your stress management plan. Remember to use the SMART format when you write your goals. You can find templates by searching the internet. A written plan with clearly defined goals will make it easier to reach the outcome you desire.
Your cellphone is a reliable device to store your stress management goals and action plan. You will usually have it nearby. This makes checking the plan regularly quite easy. You may also use the reminder app on your phone. Setting reminders will keep you on track. It will also help you to turn some of your actions into habits.
Make checklists that you can access using your phone. Check off items quickly while on the go.
A stress management plan creates opportunities for you to lower your stress levels. It reinforces your commitment and helps with consistency.
M.L. Bailey Consultants helps women over 40 to live healthy lives through strategic stress management and solution focused self-care.
Schedule a free 20-minute Discovery Call today