A technique from the business world can help you get the most out of your workout – setting SMART goals. It’s an acronym that stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. When you apply this to your workout goals, it can help you nail down what you want to get from your sweat sessions.

Reaching your fitness goals is tougher when you don’t really have a game plan for achieving them. But it turns out, a technique from the business world is a good tool to help get the most out of your workouts – by setting SMART goals. The acronym SMART has several slightly different meanings, but according to management professor Robert S. Rubin, it’s most commonly interpreted as Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound.

So what does that mean for your sweat sesh? When you apply it to your workout goals, it can help you nail down exactly what you want to get from your fitness routine. Say you want to workout at least six days a week to increase energy, ease stress and anxiety and get stronger by doing a combination of HIIT, Pilates and hiking, your SMART-style breakdown could look like…

Source: Well and Good

Specific

Do a 20-minute HIIT workout two days a week, a 30-minute Pilates class three times a week and a two-hour hike one weekend day.

Measurable

If you notice energy, stress and anxiety levels shifting and feel stronger, you’re on the right track.

Achievable

The three workout options keep you from getting bored and the sessions are short enough to easily fit them in on weekdays.

Relevant

It’s something you need right now and in the future.

Time-bound

The goal is to feel energized, less stressed and anxious and stronger in six weeks.

Research shows one of the main reasons people don’t reach their fitness goals is that they’re not specific enough, so clarifying everything with the SMART method fixes that. It sets you up for a better shot at achieving your goals and that’s what it’s all about.