Identify the need for a health-related change or alteration:
Identify the need for a health-related change or alteration:
Based on assessments you have made of your current lifestyle choices related to health, what one thing would you like to change or alter?
What will be the pay offs in making this change or alteration i.e., why do you want to do it?
Set your goal(s):
When deciding on a goal, remember that it is best to start with small achievable goals rather than big life-changing goals that are more likely to fail. It is much easier to have small successes than large failures.
Write one or two goal statements that describe the behaviour/lifestyle choices you want to change. Phrase your goal(s) in a positive language e.g. “I will…”
Your goal statement(s) should reflect specific measurable behaviors rather than general outcomes e.g. “I will go for a 30-minute walk everyday” is better than “I will get more exercise”. “I will eat five servings of fruit and vegetables every day” is better than “I will eat more fruits and vegetables.”
Plan your change process by asking yourself:
What will I have to give up making this change or alteration?
What difficulties or obstacles (habits, thoughts, feelings, attitudes, time demands, inadequate social support, etc.) are presently holding me back or might be problems in achieving my goal(s)? How might I overcome these obstacles?
Who are the people in my life who will support me?
What other ways might I build in support for this change? Are there ways I can reward myself for success? Are there people who might join me in my activities?
What are the steps in the achievement of my goal?
How can I make sure that I am recognizing my successes along the way?
Carry out the change process:
Set yourself a target date for the achievement of your lifestyle change goal and begin the process.
Evaluate your experience.
It will only be a weeklong process for this lifestyle change. Please pay special attention to the beginning stages of your change.
It is commonly said that in making change; day 3 is the hardest followed by the 3rd week and then the 3rd month and so on.
In reviewing your experience with the lifestyle change process, discuss:
Your achievements so far: Are you meeting your goal(s) fully? Partially? Did you have to change your goal(s) as the week progressed?
Any problems or difficulties encountered in achieving your goal(s). How might these have been avoided or diminished?
What have you learned about lifestyle change from this project? How might this learning be useful to you in your role as a care provider? What suggestions would you have for others who might want to make changes of a similar kind?
Remember: Even if you are not completely successful in meeting your original goal, you will be successful in learning something about yourself and your needs that can be extremely useful to you in the future as you strive to make health-enhancing lifestyle choices.
Instructors note:
You can suggest to your students that they journal about their change process, this will help them consciously think about it daily. This may also be a suitable time to introduce the journaling template that they will be expected to complete while in clinical and preceptorship. You will find a copy in the assignment folder with this assignment.
Here is one example of how this assignment can be completed. Please note that this assignment does NOT have to be presented as an essay. Students may choose their weapons: PowerPoint, publisher, flip charts, index cards, post-it notes (just kidding), whatever works for them now and into the future (because hopefully they will continue to use this knowledge to make changes).
Assesses current lifestyle choices
5 points
Chooses one thing to change
3 points
Notes the payoffs from the change
2 points
Sets your goal(s):
Sets an achievable goal
3 points
Writes one or two goal statements describing the changes to be made
3 points
Goal statements describe specific measurable behaviours
3 points
Plans the change process:
What will you give up?
2 points
What obstacles am I facing?
2 points
Who will support me?
2 points
What other support is there?
2 points
What are the steps? 2 points
How can I recognize my successes?
2 points
Carry out the change process:
Sets a target date
2 points
Evaluate your experience:
Are you meeting your goals, or did you have to change them?
3 points
Describe any problems or difficulties encountered
4 points
What did you learn about the change process? and how might this be useful to
you as a care giver?
5 points
Complete Answer:
