Intensive outpatient program goal setting

As part of your treatment, you will need to focus on specific treatment goals.  In the daily Goals Group you will be asked to state a daily treatment goal which will help you work toward the longer-term treatment goals.  Staff encourages program members to set goals for time outside program. Use the following guide and examples of goals to assist you in setting daily goals.

Smart goals

Specific: Provide enough detail so that it is clear what your plan is.  A goal of: “Take some time for myself” is too general.  A more specific goal could be:  “I’ll work on my knitting, with my favorite music on, in my favorite chair, for 30 minutes after dinner, and ask not to be interrupted.”

Measurable:  If your goal is measurable you will have some tangible evidence of its completion.  A goal of:  “I will eat healthier meals” is not measurable.  A measurable goal could be: “I’ll eat a fruit and a vegetable with each meal” You know clearly whether you accomplished the goal or not. 

Acceptable: Your goal should be set by you rather than by someone else.

Realistic:  Start small with what you can do, experience the satisfaction of meeting your goal, and then gradually increase the amount of work that you ask of yourself.  It is better to be realistic and successful than to be unrealistic and disappointed.

Time frame: Deciding how much time you will spend on a goal helps to increase your sense of control over a task.  It also helps to manage time effectively and keep balance in a day.

View a few examples of Daily Goals.