Deadlines are important motivators in goal-setting. That’s why the “T” in SMART goals refers to the term “time-bound.” Time-bound goals refer to the time you allocate to complete your goals. When you set a start and end date to reach your goals, you are better able to stay on track. It also gives you the ability to focus on your goal and gives you something to work toward.
Deadlines Help With Time Management
Setting deadlines will also help you with your time management. They make your goals easier to accomplish. Try setting mini-deadlines to help you stay motivated and celebrate your small successes along the way. Managing your time well will help you allocate your time where needed to achieve your goal. Parkinson’s Law states that work will expand to fill the time allotted. By assigning the right amount of time to a task, we gain back more time, and the task will reduce in its complexity. For example, if you give yourself a week to complete a task that usually takes two hours, the task will increase in complexity, become more daunting, and fill up the week. You may not fill up that extra time with more work but instead, stress about getting it done and procrastinate. So, unless you carefully distribute your time, your goals may fall to the wayside and become overtaken by everyday tasks.
How To Set Your Deadlines
Remember, the “A” in SMART goals is for “achievable” or “attainable.” Keep this in mind when setting deadlines for your time-bound SMART goals. In other words, be realistic when calculating the amount of time you will reach your goal. You may want the goal to be completed in two weeks, but the reality is that it will most likely take you two months. If you don’t set a realistic end date for your goal, you may feel too stressed and pressured, finding shortcuts or giving up on your goal altogether.
Setting a time frame for when you will complete a goal should give you a sense of urgency but not be too challenging to achieve. When the goal is time-bound, it helps to keep the goal at the forefront, giving it a sense of necessity. It’s easy to slack on our goals when the busyness of life and family obligations take over if you let them. Prioritizing your everyday tasks can help you avoid that pitfall. Just make sure to include the time you need to do the work to achieve your goal in the time you allot to achieve it.
Examples of Time-Bound Goals
Let’s say your goal is to walk for 30 minutes five times weekly for three months. You want to do your walking in the evening when you are done with work to be healthier. The deadline for this goal is three months. Remember to set mini-deadlines to celebrate along the way. A practical mini deadline would be to complete one week of walking five times per week. Check in with yourself every Friday evening to ensure you follow through with walking for 30 minutes five times each week. If you have completed this mini-goal each week, you can celebrate and allow yourself a small reward. Before you know it, you will have done this approximately twelve times and will be at your three-month deadline.