Combining these elements together brings clarity, drives motivation, and increases success. When we use the SMART framework for business-related tasks, we're more likely to hit our goals. So, why don’t we apply that framework to our ways of managing stress?
We’ve all been there. Deadline day is looming large and there’s still so much left to do. It’s enough to stress anyone out. SMART goal: Establish a clear timeline between now and the go-live
Sometimes the amount of work you need to do looks far more intensive than it actually is. By setting a SMART goal, you can get a clear picture of what you need to do within the timeframe you have left.
The deadline fits the time-bound criteria already, and your measurable criteria is simply whether the work is finished within that time or not. To create a SMART goal you just need to fill the other three.
You can discover the specific details of your SMART goal by looking at the work you have remaining. This is also the stage WHERE you can figure out if the amount of work is attainable within the timeframe.
You can use a prioritization framework to judge how long the remaining tasks will take and how relevant they are to the process.
Using what you have learned by gathering information to fit your SMART goal, you can create a schedule that helps to break down tasks into smaller, manageable pieces.
This is a simple but highly effective example of how SMART goals for stress management can re-align a panicked product team and help you achieve your targets.