Setting a Self-Management Goal

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Summa Health System developed this worksheet to assist patients with diabetes in setting goals for controlling their diabetes.

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Setting a Self-Management Goal—Family Medicine Center of Akron

What is self management?

Self management is what you do every day; you decide what to eat, you decide whether to exercise, you decide if and when you will check your blood sugar or blood pressure, and you decide if you will take your medications.

Every one does self management, but the best self management leads to good control of diabetes and better health.

What is good diabetes control?

Good control for diabetes means:

• Your hemoglobin A 1 C is less than 7.
• Your systolic blood pressure (top number) is less than 130.
• Your diastolic blood pressure (bottom number) is less than 70.
• Your LDL (bad) cholesterol is less than 100.
• You do not have frequent low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) attacks.

If your diabetes is not in good control, something needs to change.

Some changes that you can do to help get diabetes into good control include:

• Choosing healthier types and amounts of food.
• Including walking or other exercise in your normal daily routine.
• Monitoring your sugar more often.
• Changing your medications to lower your blood sugar.
• Stopping smoking.
• Managing stress and depression.
• Changing medication to improve your cholesterol or lower your blood pressure.

You must decide what changes you are willing and able to make.

To start, answer this question" What is the one thing you would like to do this week to improve your health?" Write your answer below:


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To reach your goal, you need to have a plan. Your plan needs to be specific.

Now, turn the page and write down your answers to these questions. Your doctor or nurse will discuss your goal and help you plan for success.

What will you do? _______________________________________	When will you do it? _______________________________________
How will you do it? _______________________________________	Where will you do it? _______________________________________
How often will you do it? _______________________________________	The things that could make it hard to achieve my goal are: _______________________________________
My plan for overcoming these difficulties is: _______________________________________	People who can help me achieve my goal: _______________________________________
We want to support you and help you make your healthy change.  The best way for us to help is to hear from you about how things are going.	Please call in one week to tell us about your progress or tell us about problems that are making progress difficult. Call 330-375-3584 and leave a voice message for your Diabetes Team Nurse.
Change is difficult	You may not succeed at first. You can always start over. Every day is a new chance to do something good for yourself.

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