Check in on your goals around drinking less

It's important to be clear about what you want to achieve and set goals when you start making changes to your lifestyle.

Planning how to make those changes and reach your goal increases your chances of success.

Almost as important is checking in on those goals and reviewing your progress.

What to do if you're struggling to complete your goal

If you haven't managed to complete your goal or you're not making as much progress as you'd like, consider the following:

• Does your goal feel important enough for you? Is there something else you could choose that feels more important?
• Is your goal realistic? Do you have the resources like time, money or childcare to achieve this? Your goal may be too big and you're not able to complete it in the time you've given yourself.
• Could you break your goal down into smaller steps and build up to your bigger goal instead?
• Is your goal measurable? If you can measure your goal, you can easily see if you've succeeded.
• Is your goal specific enough? Does it include enough detail so you know exactly what you're planning to do?
• Can you do more of the things you find enjoyable and rewarding? You could also focus on the benefits and positives you feel after achieving your goals.

Setting and repeating many short-term goals over time can help you move closer to your goal. This might be losing a set amount of weight, getting to a level of physical activity or stopping smoking.

Every short-term goal achieved can be a boost to your confidence. Each time you succeed in meeting your goals, you can also experience benefits to your health.

What to do if you've achieved your goal

If you've already achieved your goal, consider the following:

• If you started small and achieved success, you might be ready to take on larger challenges. Or you might find that you need to adjust your goals to better fit your new lifestyle. For example, 5km walks are not now challenging enough for you, so you need to increase the distance.
• Be willing to change your goals as you make progress in your overall plan. It might be cutting down your drinking, eating healthier or increasing your activity levels.

What's next

Find out how to manage slip-ups when you're trying to drink less.