As we come to the end of the year, many people begin to consider resolutions and goal setting for the coming new year. As a physical therapist, you undoubtedly understand the significance of goal setting. Goal setting allows you to set a path for a patient’s care while enabling you to gauge their therapy progress. It is equally essential that you create goals for yourself. Goals will help you develop as a therapist and serve as a guide to follow during your therapy career. Consider these goal setting tips from the therapy experts at myPTsolutions.
Top Goal Setting Tips for Physical Therapists
Generate Short-Term and Long-Term Goals
When setting goals, it is essential that you set both short-term and long-term goals. Long-term goals are those you set for your future, while short-term goals are part of the planning to achieve the long-term goals. You will not fulfill long-term goals in hours, days, or months. These goals require dedication, hard work, and planning. An effective way of reaching your long-term goals is to set several short-term goals.
Remember that you cannot take on everything at one time. It would be advantageous if you were sensible about what you could accomplish. Consider reverse engineering your long-term goals into manageable pieces, which makes them short-term goals.
Make Your Goals Personal
As a therapist, you often set patient-centric goals. However, when it comes to adjusting goals, you should be you-centric. Set goals that address your needs, desires, and aspirations. Weigh out what matters to you and then create plans accordingly. Avoid the temptation of falling into step with others when setting your goals. You do not want to follow others’ goals in your career.
Mentorship
If you do not have a mentor, it might be a great time to get one. Mentors can guide you through the tough times and provide answers to questions you might have regarding your physical therapy career. Mentorship can mean many things, and you might be wondering where you can find a mentor. Some clinics provide mentorship as part of their hiring package. These are formal career mentorship programs. You can also look for opportunities outside of the obvious places. Your mentor does not need to be a physical therapist. Keep an open mind about working with a different type of clinician or even someone who is not in health care.
Expand Your Vision
When setting goals and considering career development, do not limit yourself to your physical therapy job. With many facilities struggling due to COVID-related dips in patient volume, career growth within your clinic might not be a possibility. Understand that you can find career growth in multiple places, not just your clinic. There are many places to make connections and build transferable non-clinical skills that can significantly benefit your career.
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Work with myPTsolutions to find physical therapy jobs that can help you achieve your career goals.
