Setting mental health goals without extra stress

When you want to achieve something, you might set goals to work toward. A goal can help you realize what steps you need to take along the way and provide a sense of accomplishment. 

Setting mental health goals can help you focus on what’s most important to you — whether that’s improving emotional regulation, practicing more self-care, getting more rest, or more consistently going to therapy.

Mental health goals can also offer accountability. Like with many things worth achieving, there will likely be bumps along the way. Goals can help keep you on track when difficult moments inevitably arise. 

Boost your mental health with goal setting 

Goal setting is a cornerstone of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT can empower us to recognize our negative, untrue thought patterns and transform them into more helpful or realistic ones. This can affect our behavior positively, because how we think often affects how we act.

For example, someone might find themselves caught in cycles of negative self-talk. These thoughts repeat in their head most of the day, impacting their self-esteem. Together with their CBT therapist, they set a goal to acknowledge an accomplishment every week. 

As they stick to this goal for a few weeks, they feel better about themselves. While they still have those negative thoughts, they occur less and, when they do arise, it’s easier to challenge them. 

Goal setting can boost mental health, giving you motivation, a sense of purpose, and increased self-esteem. 

When is goal setting bad for mental health? 

While goal setting can improve your mental health, it can also backfire depending on how it’s done. For example, if you have a condition like obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), you might wash your hands 30 times a day. Giving yourself an unrealistic goal like, “I’ll only wash my hands five times per day” can set you up to fail — and negatively impact your mental health. 

Setting mental health goals with a therapist can help you determine which ones will actually support your well-being. Once you’ve established which goals are realistic and helpful, a therapist can provide support and accountability along the way. 

S.M.A.R.T. goals for mental health 

To discover what mental health goals are right for you, start with some reflection. Think about what is and isn’t working for you when it comes to your mental health. Maybe you excel at being calm under pressure in work situations. But your personal relationships can suffer because you don’t always know how to emotionally regulate. 

So, you might set a goal like, “I want to practice emotional regulation to improve my relationships.” 

This is a good start. But to increase the chances of success, set S.M.A.R.T. goals. Each letter in S.M.A.R.T. stands for an aspect of the goal.

• S stands for specific
• M stands for measurable
• A stands for attainable
• R stands for relevant
• T stands for time-based 

To apply the S.M.A.R.T. approach to the goal above, you might adjust it to, “I’ll practice emotional-regulation exercises like deep breathing two times per day for three weeks.” 

Examples of mental health goals

You might know you want to improve your mental health but aren’t sure which goals to focus on. Here are some examples of S.M.A.R.T. mental health goals. You can use one of these goals as a template and then adapt them to your specific circumstances to make sure they are measurable and applicable.

• Journal once a day to improve anxiety and depression symptoms. Journaling has many mental health benefits, including improving anxiety and depression symptoms. It can also help you realize inner insights, set the tone for your day, create a sense of calm, and help you practice of discipline.
• Go for a walk three times per week to reduce stress. Finding ways to move that bring you joy, whether it’s walking or yoga or dancing, reduce stress, and lessen depression and anxiety symptoms.
• Dedicate one day per week to relaxing self-care. It’s essential to make time for yourself, even with a busy schedule. “Me time” can help with self-reflection, processing emotions, feeling rested, and facing life’s challenges. 
• Practice mindfulness every morning to feel grounded. You can build resilience and manage stress more effectively with mindfulness exercises. Practicing these in the morning can help you start your day off right. 
• Make yourself a nourishing lunch on weekdays. Support yourself and your mental health with foods that help you feel energized and nourished throughout the day. Nutrition can affect everything from your cognitive function to your emotions. 

Find care with Rula

Setting mental health goals can improve your relationship to yourself and those around you. Working toward goals like getting more rest or exercising can be good for your physical health, too. And taking a S.M.A.R.T. approach ensures your goals are achievable and aligned with your values. 

But it can be hard to do it alone. That’s where Rula comes in. With its extensive network of over 10,000 providers, you can find one that can help you set realistic goals, takes your insurance, and is a compatible fit for you. Schedule your first appointment via live video as soon as tomorrow. 

Find a therapist with Rula