Don't for the New Year

Do Not Do These if You Want to Have a Successful 2016

First week is in the books and the second is pretty close.

Are you part of the 20-something percent that has already given up on their new Year's goals? It’s not like you’ve completely given up on your dreams, its just that life has already gotten in the way and you occasionally think that there is no way. Then this leads to the whole, "Why do I even bother making New Years goals anyway."

Your job. Your job, your family, your friends, your finances; all of these problems… I mean, responsibilities seem to hit you from every angle and it makes you afraid of taking the leap of faith needed to add another goal on your plate.

Afraid of what people will think if you quit your job.

Afraid of going bankrupt.

Afraid of falling behind in the rat race.

Afraid of not being able to provide for your family.

Afraid of not living up to the expectations of others.

Afraid of not living up to your own expectations.

Afraid of failing.

No one wants to be irresponsible, and everyone feels afraid sometimes. But does that mean it’s impossible to realize your dreams?

Of course not. The Michael Jordans, Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerbergs of the world show us that goals can be reached and dreams can be made to happen.

“But those people are so much more talented, so much more charismatic, so much luckier than me… I could never be like them,” you might be thinking.

It’s true—you might never be like them. Your dream might not be as big or impressive as theirs.

Your goal may be as small as losing 10 pounds or much more grand like starting a new business or owning a house. It’s not the size of your dream that matters. It’s the pursuit of your goals that turns your life into a thrilling adventure, an exhilarating story. That’s what really matters.

This is that time of the year when all of the online gurus tell you what you need to do to make your dreams a realty, that's not me, sorry.

Instead, I’m going to share with you what should stop doing. These are things we all do on occasion—things that quietly sabotage our dreams, sap our energy, and make our goals look more and more unattainable.

 So Don’t do these things:

1.      Say “I wish” or “I hope”: This is basic NLP 101. Whenever you do this, you put yourself in a mindset where the situation is beyond your control, there is some outside force that has a yay or nay say in whether you accomplish your goal or not. What you can do as an alternative is turn your wishes and hopes into goals. For example, don’t say, “I wish my boss would give me flexible working hours.” Instead, set a goal that you’re going to have a conversation with your boss within the next three days about establishing flexible working hours. When you set goals, you choose to focus on what you can do to improve your circumstances, which is very empowering.

2.      Complain: This is a favorite pastime for many people. There are always things to complain about: the weather, the economy, the healthcare system, the guy who sat next to you on the bus and hummed a really annoying song… but when you complain, you’re not making your circumstances any better. Instead of complaining, think about the many things you have to be grateful for. Another NLP technique is to apply discomfort to habits you are trying to break, so try wearing a rubber band around your wrist. Whenever you’re about to complain, snap the rubber band as a reminder not to.

3.      Blame others: In today's society, we see it everywhere; everyone wanting safe zones, everyone offending everyone else, etc. Nothing is ever their fault. If you want to achieve your dreams, you will need to take full responsibility for your life. That means no blaming your parents, friends, relatives, skin color, disability or bad luck for where you are in life. Recognize that some things are beyond your control, but take responsibility for the way every situation turns out. You cannot change the past, but you can change how you react to it.

4.      Think of reasons why you shouldn’t take action: There will always be plenty of them. Think of all the positive things that might happen if you take action today.

5.      Settle: Settling for second best is a sure way to prevent yourself from reaching your dreams. This applies to your relationships, finances, career and physical health. Decide that you’re going to create a masterpiece out of your life. Don’t give in to the allure of a comfortable but mediocre existence. I was once told that good is the stealer of best.

6.      Procrastinate: You can probably think of at least one thing you can do immediately that will bring you closer to your dream. There’s never a perfect time to take action, so do what you can right now.

7.      Hang out with toxic people: A mentor of mine, Jim Rohn, said that you’re the average of the five people you spend most of your time with. Hang out with negative, critical and judgmental people, and you’ll become just like them in no time. Those aren’t traits you associate with people who make their dreams come true.

8.      Say “I should”: When you say you “should” learn a new language, start writing a book, or go for a public speaking course, it’s unlikely that you’ll actually do it. Say, “I choose to” instead or "I will" if you wan to be more direct with it. This makes you realize that everything in life is a choice. You really do have the power to choose, and to turn your dreams into reality.

9.      Compare yourself to others: There will always be people out there who are better looking, smarter and more capable than you. But you’re not trying to achieve their dreams; you’re trying to achieve yours. Think about the characteristics that make you special and unique, and about how you can use them to accomplish your dream.

10.  Watch so much TV: The same applies for going on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc and can also be applied to reading fiction. If you’re not careful, these can become major time sucks. Most surveys show that the average American watches more than four hours of TV a day. I hope that statistic scares you. Imagine how much closer you could get to achieving your dream if you spent those four hours every day doing something more fruitful. I’m not suggesting that you go cold turkey, but set a daily limit for yourself and use a timer to make sure you stick to that limit.

11.  Say “I don’t have time”: Do you make time to watch your favorite TV show? Do you make time to update your Facebook status? Do you make time to eat? We all make time for the things that are important to us. If you find yourself saying you “don’t have time” to do something you know you ought to; it's all about prioritizing our priorities.

12.  Say “yes” to everyone: Many people find it impossible to say “no” to requests and opportunities, even ones that aren’t in line with their values and goals. If you say “yes” to everyone, you’re effectively settling for good, when what you really want is great. The path of greatness is the path of intentional abandonment of everything good, in pursuit of only the best. Think carefully before agreeing to any request.

13.  Try to be perfect: I’m not perfect, and neither are you. Accept yourself fully—achievements, strengths, weaknesses, failures, flaws and all. You don’t have to be perfect to realize your dreams, but you do need to be committed to personal growth. You can only begin that journey when you accept yourself completely for who you are an where you are right now.

14.  Try to please everyone: This goes along with number 12. Like the great P.T. Barnum is known for (Lincoln had a variation of this before him though), “You can please all of the people some of the time, and some of the people all of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time.” Your dreams are personal. You’re not pursuing them to garner applause from the people around you or from society. Don’t make the mistake of trying to make everyone happy, because that’s impossible. So don’t even try.

15.  Deprive yourself of sleep: When you don’t feel your best, you’re more likely to make impulsive decisions that aren’t in your long-term interests. If you want to achieve your dreams, you’ll definitely have to make short-term sacrifices for long-term gain. If you’re sleep-deprived, you probably won’t have the willpower to make the right decision.

I haven’t achieved all of my dreams. Far from it, in fact. Before I have accomplished one, I find that I am formulating plans to accomplish new ones.

I do know, however, that pursuing your dreams isn’t easy. Somewhere along the way, you’ll want to quit, all of us do. You’ll want to run away and go back to your comfortable, familiar, boring life, but I beg you not to. The world needs entrepreneurs who are fully alive. Most people are barely surviving, barely making it through each day. Don’t be one of them.

Dream big. Start small. Act now—right now and as always, here's to your success.

 

A Final Tip for Organizing: Don’t be afraid to ask for help

Have you walked in the house after a long day at work and simply sighed at your cluttered home? Have you planned to organize one morning but don't know where to begin or are you simply not in the mood? Are you caught in a vicious circle: as soon as you organize one room a different one has turned to chaos? Perhaps you simply need to prioritize, find motivation, and invite help. Easier said than done, right? I hope that this series of blogs on organization has helped you to see the importance of organization and taught you ways to save time, money and peace of mind. As with most goals in life, you need to strive for progress and betterment, not perfection. Most of us don't have the time to accomplish perfection in everything we do and still live a happy, fulfilling life. When you set goals, make them accomplishable, attainable. When you make that progress, produce a visual way to track it or remind yourself of all you've achieved (i.e. stickers on a chart, a check list, a flower/penny/or other item to represent each task you've finished). Do you begin the day with the best of intentions to de-clutter the “bath” only to loose your drive because it's “simply not worth it”? What is worth it to you? What do you value? Why? These questions might not seem to have much to do with organizing, but they may be the key to your motivation. How much time do you spend on actions that relate to your values (i.e. spending time with loved ones, exercising, eating healthy, and so forth.)? Most of us would likely answer “not enough”. Then why would you ever spend time on an action not related to you values, like organizing? The answer: organizing helps you to focus more on your values. Organizing means less time searching for things, fewer arguments over who last used the scissors and didn't put them back, less time cleaning around the clutter . . . With less time wasted, you have more time to be with loved ones, exercise, eat healthy, and pursue those life goals that truly matter to you. Even if most of your tasks and daily routines are “value added”, they're not always fun and often too much for one person. Resolution: spread the responsibility among the whole house. What is boring to one person might be fun for another member. One individuals weak spot might be someone else’s strength. When you do invite help, simply remember to be specific or be prepared for “not precisely what you expected”. Letting other people pick what they want and find their own way, reasonably, might even make them more willing and productive. With younger children, having them help you may initially take longer, but in the long run, it teaches them the value of organization and as they get older and begin doing the routines themselves, it takes more work off of you later. The office is another place where sharing the load of organizing will help the entire company be more productive. This is the final installment of my short series on organization. I know it was short and not very in depth, but blog posts that are too long get tedious for me to write and for you to read. I would, however like to take this opportunity to let you know about this great book that has helped me get organized. If you liked the information and tips that I have laid out in this series on organization and you want more, this book will definitely be a great guide to help you become more in control of your time, your health, your relationships, and your peace of mind. Just click here to read more about this book or to pick up a copy.

Organization: The Top 100 Best Ways To Organize Your Life

There is also a great product that goes beyond reading and actually gives you a complete tool box on organizing every aspect of your life then Click Here!

Power Question: What is your next step? To start making your life more successful, what is your next step starting right now?

Organize Your Computer

One way that you can get organized is to make your computer an organizing assistant. You can print up schedules and also keep a calendar with a list of what you have to do each day. You can get email updates as to your daily activities and appointments. Once you get used to using the computer to be organized, you will wonder how you ever got along without it. You can also use your computer for your banking. You can arrange to have all of your bills paid online, which saves you time and makes sure that you are not missing any payments. It is safe to bank online as banks use a special security and encoding system to prevent hacking. Another way that you can use the computer to get and stay organized online is that you can keep track of your bank balances. Make sure that you have the money that you think you have in your bank account. When you get automatic payments to your bank account, the money is available right away. You do not have to worry about cashing checks, waiting for checks to clear or possibly using them. The computer organizer isn’t just for the office, you can print up schedules to hang on the refrigerator, menus for the week, chore assignments and even plan a party using these tools. You must make use of this technology in order to stay organized because it alleviates so much time and stress. Organizing your life is more than just being able to keep a clean house and keep things in order. It also involves planning. For example, you can print up a grocery list and check the items that you need when you go shopping. If you go grocery shopping without a list, you not only end up spending more money than you would usually spend, but you also spend more time rummaging around the store. Let’s not even mention the times that you get all of the way home and realize that you forgot something that invariably leads to another trip to the store. The computer is a wonderful tool for staying organized and planning out various aspects of your life. You can even go online and get quick and easy recipes, for free. If you have a business, you can do your payroll and organize your finances on programs that will help you figure your income taxes and business taxes due. You can also go online and find forms that you can use to apply for certain benefits. If you are on social security, you can use the website to find out where your checks are and other benefits. You can use a pin number and discover information that you would otherwise have to wait for by mail. Paying your taxes? It is easy to do right online. Not only will you be able to get your taxes sooner, but you will also get your return much quicker. And you can have the refund directly deposited into your bank account. This saves you time and helps you stay organized, especially if you have been using computer programs to help you keep track of your expenses and income throughout the year. You can use programs like Excel when you are trying to create spreadsheets. This is not a difficult program to learn and you can use it in business to create graphs and also keep track of payments due. Most offices require that their employees use this program. Take advantage of computer technology to remember birthdays and special occasions so that you can send cards. There are even websites that will send cards to those on your list automatically, mailing them for you and thus saving you even more time. By using the computer, you are taking advantage of the latest tools to stay organized. You can plan, print and do both home and business work right on the computer as well as keep track of your finances. This is one tool that you cannot do without when it comes to being organized. You will find that there are so many uses for the computer that can simplify your life and make it easier.

Organization: The Top 100 Best Ways To Organize Your Life

Power Question: What is one change that you could make to your lifestyle that would give you more peace?

Helpful Gadgets To Make Organizing Easier

There are many gadgets and gismos out there that you can help you to better organize your home and office. These can stretch space and make it easier for you to keep things in a place where you can find them. Here is a list of some of the gadgets that you can use to help:

Cleaning caddy, Closet organizers, Shoe organizers, Vacuum sealed bags, Hooks, Lazy Susan, Storage furniture, Tool kits, File organizers, Computer software programs (for bank accounts, receipts, etc.), Stackable shelves and Laundry separation devices, just to name a few.

A cleaning caddy can hold all of your cleaning products and make it easier for you to find everything when you need to clean instead of having to haul out individual bottles, rags  and sprayers. You can store everything in this caddy and save time as well as space in your utility closet with this handy gadget that is available at most stores that sell buckets and other cleaning goods.

Closet organizers can be installed on your own and are available in most home improvement stores. If you do not have a closet organizer and cannot afford to make this investment, you can purchase stackable hangers that will give you more room in your closet.

For decades, simple shoe racks have been used as an organization staple. Not only for keeping your shoes all lined up and looking neat, but also keeps them from getting damaged. You can also purchase shoe organizers that allow you to stack your shoes in a box that is covered with a clear plastic cover that slips under the bed.

Vacuum-sealed bags can allow you to put all of your clothes into a bag and then seal it so that the air is removed. These are waterproof and compact the clothes so that you take up a great deal less space and can be used to store seasonal clothes as well as for packing suitcases.

Hooks can be placed on the interior of closets that can allow you to hang up certain items like cleaning brushes, mops and even tools. You can purchase stick on hooks at just about any hardware or home improvement store.

A Lazy Susan is an old organizing tool that used to be standard with some kitchen cabinets. You can still have this type of cabinet installed in your home today as it usually goes in the corner of the kitchen cabinets. The interior of the cabinet spins around, giving you easy access to everything and also making the most of your cabinet space. You can purchase these items in some home improvement and other stores that can go into your cabinet to make the most of your space, make your cabinets more organized and give you easy access to items.

Storage furniture comes in all shapes and sizes. As I said earlier, I put an old dresser in my closet to give me extra space. I have a cedar chest that I use as a coffee table. The more storage space you have in your home, the easier it is to keep things organized. You can use cabinets for storing collectibles that you can use for display. Make all of your furniture count so that you have enough storage in your home. The main reason people find that their house is unorganized is because they do not have anywhere to put their items. By increasing your storage space, you then increase your ability to get organized.

Tool kits are an easy way to keep your tools all in one place. Even if you do not have a lot of tools, you most likely have hammers, pliers and screwdrivers that you use for certain chores. By having a tool kit or toolbox you can not only store these items much easier, but you can also find them when you are ready to use them.

File organizers have been discussed previously as a way that you can store photos and papers. You can purchase these at any office supply store. You can easily find anything you are looking for when it is properly filed. You can also use these items to store bills and receipts.

Computer software programs can be used to store your financial information and allow you to be organized when it comes to your money. It can also help you prepare your taxes and keep track of all of your bills and other expenses. There are various computer software programs that you can use for this purpose. When it comes to being organized, you also need to make sure that your finances are organized as well.

Stackable shelves can be put in a playroom or basement for storage of toys and even seasonal items. There are bins that you can use with these shelves as well. This can make it easier for you to keep a playroom or basement much neater and will also keep the things off of the floor. One of the things that many people worry about when it comes to clutter is, “what do we do with the kids toys?” However, kids grow up soon enough and will no longer want these toys. Do your best when it comes to organizing them but never feel that kids toys make your home a mess - it is never a bad thing to have a home in which children play or even an office for that matter. Still, you can make it neater by using these stackable shelves.

Laundry separation devices can be an easy way to store clothes that are ready for washing. One of the best types you can get is one with washable hanging nets. These are relatively inexpensive and can help you keep clothes sorted by color or type that are ready for the wash. Instead of just leaving clothes in baskets, you can take them to the laundry area and wash as needed as they are all separated.

There are many more organizing tools that can help you keep your life more organized. Spaces saving devices are also space saving items that you can use to keep organized as well as have extra room. You can find many different tools to help keep you organized by going to a home improvement store or even shopping for them online.

 Have you had an opportunity to check this out yet?

Organization: The Top 100 Best Ways To Organize Your Life

Power Question:

What could you do right now that would really put a smile on your face?

The Importance Of Routines

 

Organization is like any other positive habit, it involves developing routines when it comes to cleaning out clutter, closets, and drawers as well as cleaning your home in general. You are better off to have a schedule or some sort of date in mind when it comes to cleaning or your work will never be done. If you get into a habit of cleaning and organizing on a regular basis, your home will not only look cleaner, but also you will feel much more relaxed. This is also true for the office, or at least your section of the office should you be in a cubical type setting.

 

Whether you are cleaning by yourself or with a partner (or partners), you should develop a routine as to when you do your cleaning. You can take one job a day to make it easier, or you can clean your entire house from top to bottom in one day.

 

I have found that the average house can get cleaned to the point where it looks pretty presentable within two to three hours. Start with the basics by dusting and sweeping. My room of choice to start in is always the kitchen, emptying things out of the refrigerator before they become science experiments, cleaning the counters, sink and wiping down the cabinets. Then I take the mop out and clean the floor last. The entire room can be done in a half an hour, usually.

 

After that, I go to the living room, straighten the couches, dust and vacuum. This is another project that only takes about a half hour. I , then, move to the bedrooms and then head off for the bathrooms last. The reason for this is that the bathrooms have to be scrubbed down and disinfected. With the use of proper cleaning supplies and doing this on a regular basis, the cleanliness will easily last a week.

 

I am often sorely tempted to clean my daughter’s room as she often leaves her room like a tornado whipped through it, but as this would not be teaching her anything, I bite my lip and my wife or I will go in and ‘help’ her do it. Never do it for them if you can help it. No matter how old they are, it they are at least helping in the efforts to clean their room, it develops independence as well as a sense of accomplishment.

 

The main thing is to have a routine. I know just how to get started and when it is over. By developing this routine and doing it in a repetitive way that I come to expect, it gives me a great satisfaction when it is all over, the house is clean for a while and I know that next time, I will do it again.

 

If I just cleaned whenever I felt that the house needed it, I could be cleaning all of the time and my work would never be done. I would find myself cleaning certain areas more than once while not touching other areas but every two to three months. The routine gives me a sense of accomplishment and also allows me to relax and not worry about cleaning again until the next week, unless something happens to interrupt the routine - like someone spilling something on the floor.

Routines are not just about cleaning your house, they are a way for you to maintain order and organization in your own life. In addition to cleaning, I also have a cooking routine. I plan out my meals when I go to the grocery store. By organizing your menu for the week and having an idea of what to cook, you not only save time, but save money. Eating out all of the time can be expensive and who wants to fret over what they are going to eat for dinner every night?

 

In addition to helping you with the house, routines will also help you when it comes to raising your children. Little kids thrive on routine. You know how important it is for babies to be fed regularly and changed. Babies thrive on routine as it gives them a sense of security. The same goes for children. I wouldn’t ever be too strict when it came to mapping out each second of their lives and never would them to live in an environment where they had no time to just play or be kids, but a healthy routine teaches them that there is a time and place for everything.

 

Set a bedtime early on for you and your kids. Before bed, have a routine for settling down. This was something that your children will look forward to every night. When they are younger, this is a good time to read to them and get them to enjoy reading. As they get older, begin to have them help read the books. This inspires a love of reading and allows a steady transition into them reading to you which then moves into them reading on their own. You are probably wondering how and why I moved on to this rabbit trail, but setting up routines that lead to your children being self efficient, will lead to you having more time to yourself later which leads to you having more time to organize your own thoughts and prepare for the next day.

 

People with dogs also know the value of routine. If you have a dog, the secret to getting it housebroken and becoming a well-behaved dog is routine. Dogs, like children, thrive on routine. Cats don’t care as they are in a world of their own, although it does matter to them that you regularly feed them, change their water and clean their litter box.

 

Kids and dogs, however, are not the only things that thrive on routine. Adults also feel a sense of comfort at enjoying routines. It does make them have a more organized life as well as a healthier life. If you go to bed the same time each night and wake in the morning at the same time, it is better for your body. If you watch a certain program on TV before you go to bed or read a certain amount of time, you will feel as though you have something to look forward to each night. Most of us all have an innate desire for some sort of structure in our lives.

Routines, however, are not etched in stone.

 

There are times when routines are broken. This happens now and then and you should not get anxious about it. Simply fall back into the routine when whatever situation drove you out of the routine has calmed down. For example, bedtime routine are going to get broken on many occasions such as holidays, parties, overnight trips and vacations. While you want to establish a routine that will make everyone feel more secure and yourself more organized, you also do not want to feel like you are running a boot camp. Becoming so rigid in your routine that you cannot alter it now and then will not make anyone feel more relaxed as you will be so worried about the routine that you skip things that break into your schedule.

 

So, while the secret of good organization is routine, it should not be one that is so rigid that it defeats the purpose and actually causes anxiety. Learn to try to stick with a routine as much as possible, but do not pop a vessel if something happens to upset the schedule. Just go with the flow and get back into the groove when you can. The routine should be a tool you use to stay organized, not a prison that confines you to a rigid schedule.

 

The purpose of these blog posts is to help you strive to be more successful and to create a life worth living, so I never want to end a post without giving your some sort of “power question” to ponder over. Answering these questions will help you to take action.

 

Power Question for the day:.

What’s one thing that you would love to do before you die?

Time Management - Pareto’s Law

Time management is an efficient tool of performing the tasks within a given time limit. In this context, Vilfredo Pareto found a law i.e., 80-20 law.

 

The origin of the 80/20 rule

 

The law finds its roots in the year 1906. Vilfredo Pareto was working on finding the explanation to the economic disparities in the world. His theory had many takers and backed by various experts of that era.

 

Meaning:

This 80-20 rule lays emphasis on the lesser of anything. It says that the greater portion of anything is usually the least important. As Pareto’s findings state, there is a small group (20%) who owns a major share (80%) of world’s wealth. As per the law, the most significant are less in quantity. And what is in ample amount is generally the least significant.

 

Detailed Analysis

The time and the task management ensure that this theory fits perfectly in any condition. The stress is on the need to manage the few. This significant part would ensure the attainment of the larger part. This could be well interpretive in the super star theory. According to which efforts must be directed to manage the 20% to achieve 80%.

 

Obviously, this is in overly intellectual speak, so in layman’s terms, if you concentrate most of your efforts on the 20% and spend less time on the 80% then the 20% will lead to the 80% getting taken care of.

 

Steps To Adopt the Theory

This law, as it pertains to time management, can be applied in day-to-day life. You do have to take these points into account though for it to work:

 

1: Avoiding Useless Tasks.

 

The most important part of time management is to avoid tasks that take up a lot of time with little to show for it. This is general chat on social media sites when you have a project with a deadline due, surfing the internet while supposedly typing up a proposal, etc.

 

2: Foresight.

 

While planning, the tasks must be selected diligently so as to ensure secure future returns. As today’s solutions have definite impact on tomorrow’s outcome.

 

3: Keep an Eye on Highly Valued Task.

 

The overall efforts must be streamlined in order to concentrate on the most important 20%. If you work in this way over a period of time, the outcome can’t help but become beneficial.

 

Time management works on this 80-20 principle. Maybe not exactly, but close enough that if you try to concentrate on the most important actions first, you will find that things are getting done and you are having more time in the day to work on the other 80%.

 

Keep an eye out for my next installment in this series when we discuss time and money.

 

The purpose of these blog posts is to help you strive to be more successful and to create a life worth living, so I never want to end a post without giving your some sort of “power question” to ponder over. Answering these questions will help you to take action.

 

Power Question for the day:

 

By now, you have at least one goal that you are working on for the new year, so in what way could you make this goal (or all of your goals for that matter) more specific or measurable?

Organize, Organize, Organize!

When you go on a diet, are you “good” every single day?  If you blow your diet by going out one night, do you give up on your goal?  The answer (hopefully) is ‘no.’ Likewise, if your goal is to get a master’s degree in theology and you haven’t done anything about it today, do you give up on your goal?  The answer (again, hopefully) is ‘no.’ Most people focus too much on the long-term goals or too much time on the day-to-day tasks and ignoring the long term all together. They expect the long term things in their life to work themselves out.  The truth is that you must focus most of your concentrations on the in-between, look past the day-to-day tasks, but not get overwhelmed with the long-term goal. Concentrate on the intermediate goals that need to take place in order to accomplish the long-term goals.

 

Think about how you walk.  If you can physically do this exercise, then try it. If not, then just imagine yourself walking. Only walk by looking down at each step you take.  You have been walking for so long now that you may not stumble, but you will certainly lose track of exactly where you’re headed.  Now, try to walk by looking at a destination far off; you might reach your goal if you don’t fall down the stairs or get hit by a car as you cross the street!  To walk effectively, you must look forward – not a mile forward, but just a few steps ahead. It is vital that you treat your goals and the effective use of your time the same way that you walk.

 

To effectively achieve your long-term goals, you must first break them down into intermediate goals, goals that can be reasonably achieved in a week, couple of weeks, a month, etc.

 

You will want to keep a detailed monthly calendar. This will allow you to see your goals in print. Day Timer has a two page calendar system that you can get that allows you to keep track of goals, journal your progress and break down tasks. I like physically applying my goals to paper; something about writing it down makes it more solid in my mind. I also can physically mark a line through it, so that I can still see it, but I know it is finished, which gives me a since of accomplishment. If you are, however, so inclined to be a part of the modern world and take things digital, there are numerous digital calendars out there. I personally like Google Calendar myself. You will also want to keep track of appointments, meetings, and other business action items on this monthly calendar as well; this will enable you to quickly see how packed or free any specific week will be.

 

Daily Planning

 

Having long-term and intermediate goals are the first two steps to “managing time.”  The third step is to ACT!  As the saying goes, “The longest journey begins with the first step.”

 

Many people – all with good intentions – ignore the realities of the day when they first start integrating their intermediate goals in their daily regimen.  They forget that they have meetings they’re supposed to attend, job commitments they’re expected to fulfill, and other things that pull at their available time.  As a result, they become frustrated with their lack of progress on their goals and become angry about the things like work and/or family obligations that are taking up all their time.

 

Here are 3 steps to take that will help you to organize your schedule better, so take a few minutes each morning to plan your day like this:

 

1. Identify your appointments, meetings, and other business action items.

 

Your first step in planning your day is to transfer appointments and other business action items from the monthly calendar into the daily calendar (most digital calendars will do this for you automatically).  These are the non-discretionary things that  you have already made commitments to do. 

 

2. Plan your daily duties.

 

Your second step is to plan your daily duties such as phone calls, mail, inbox items, etc.  These are activities that are less defined than action items but still require a portion of your day.  By planning these duties, you allot time for them without letting them drive your entire day. Many people find themselves answering emails up to 4 and 5 times a day. Let’s not even get to how much time is sucked away by social media sites.

 

3. Make appointments with yourself.

 

Your third step is to ‘make appointments with yourself’ by identifying which intermediate steps you wish to tackle today.  Transfer these discretionary activities (intermediate steps) from your Goal Planning page.  This makes discretionary items non-discretionary by the simple act of recording the item in the daily plan.  You move the future into the present so you can act upon it now!

 

By simply taking more control of your daily schedule, you will find that you have gained more control over your time. Here are just a few more tips to help you “manage time” and achieve long-term success:

 

• Limit the number of activities you plan for a day.  Commit to, and complete, a few activities rather than over committing yourself. This will lead to frustration, irritation, and self-deprecation when you miss a targeted goal.

 

• Make a habit of planning for 15 minutes every day. I generally suggest that you take 15 minutes the night before to plan the next day’s activities.

 

• Do your priority items first.  Period.  Include a quiet time with absolutely no distractions in order to accomplish your top priority for the day.

 

• Take a long-range view of your commitments.  Does your calendar fill up quickly?  Should it?  Space your non-discretionary time carefully week to week. Just because you can squeeze another project in, doesn’t always mean that you should.

 

• Take a medium-range view when planning time for your intermediate steps. “What is the number one thing that I can do THIS WEEK that would have significant and positive results in my department, career, and/or personal life?”

 

• Use your time management system to keep important information such as your department, career, and personal goals and intermediate steps; your appointments, business action items, and other commitments; as well as your contacts; this will give you your entire day at your fingertips.

 

Next time I want to discuss Pareto’s law (the 80/20 rule) as it applies to time management. Talk to you then.

 

The purpose of these blog posts is to help you strive to be more successful and to create a life worth living, so I never want to end a post without giving your some sort of “power question” to ponder over. Answering these questions will help you to take action.

 

Power Question for the day:

What are three things that you are doing regularly that doesn’t support or serve you? In other words, what are three things that you selflessly do for others on a regular basis?

Time is a Unique Resource

 

Time management is not about squeezing more into a day or eliminating distractions.  It’s about managing activities to achieve goals.  This article shows you how.

How many times have you thought or said, “There just isn’t enough time in the day.”  Reality is that when we say this, we are actually saying, “I just don’t have the ability to organize my time wisely enough to account for all I need to do.” 

 

By taking a brief look at time, you will see that I am correct in what I am saying.

 

Time is a unique resource.  It cannot be saved, stopped, or replaced.  In fact, it is the only resource that can never be regained once it is spent.  This then makes it interesting to see that not very many people actually organize their day out better..  Some people seem to be able to manage the time they are given better than others and are subsequently able to make better use time.

 

The real fact of the matter is, these people cannot ‘find time’ or even manage time any more than the rest of us.  Time cannot be “managed” or “found”.  We all have the same amount of time in a day, a week, a month, and a year.

 

24 hours in a day

168 hours in a week

8,736 hours in a year

 

With the current average life expectancy for a man being 76 and women being around 81, figure out how many hours you approximately have left in your life?  Take a minute to calculate the time.  Now look back at your life spent so far and compare the amount of accomplishments you have achieved in the time you’ve already lived with the goals you want to achieve in the time you have left.  Are you pleased with where you are? What about the time you have left, are you focused on how you will spend your remaining years? What are your goals and how have you planned the achievement of those goals?

 

Ask yourself how you can use the remaining time to accomplish job, career, and personal goals that are meaningful for you.  Ask yourself, “What is the one thing I can do TODAY that would have significant and positive results in my department, career, or personal life?”

 

Truth… managing time isn’t about time at all; it’s about managing priorities.  It’s about those achievements that are most important to you when all is said and done.  It’s about setting achievable goals and using a set and proven methodology for achieving those goals amidst the many forces out there vying for your time each and every hour of each and every day.

 

Align Your Goals With Outside Forces

 

Have you ever started a diet around the holidays?  Unless you opted to go to a health camp for the holidays, you probably succumbed to the many temptations of holiday treats and foods that seem to show up and stick around during these times.  The fact that no one else around you seemed to be on a diet didn’t help matters much either!  In short, your goal of losing weight wasn’t aligned with the realities of the time frame in which you started.

 

The same is true of any goals or objectives.  Goals are easier to achieve if they are aligned with ‘outside forces’ or what’s going on around you.  As an example, if your professional goal is to organize a missions trip to another country but that particular country is looking at reducing or halting the amount of missions-based groups it is giving visas to, your goal is not aligned with the outside forces of the country and you will have a challenge meeting your goal.

 

Furthermore, if your goals ARE NOT aligned with that country’s goal and you try to force the issue, you may be seen as a malcontent or a troublemaker and not only guarantee your visa application revoked, but others as well.  If your goals ARE aligned with country’s goals, you are seen as being in support of their decision and your team is seen as a contributing force willing to work within their guidelines and you are more likely to have your visa go through at a later date.

 

Ask yourself, “Will the achievement of my goals help others achieve their goals?”  If your goals MIGHT NOT align with the goals of those around you, you may wish to revisit your goal.

 

Anchor Your Goals to Inside Forces

 

It’s also important that you have your goals anchored to your inner forces or values.  If you don’t value the achievement of your goal, or the achievement of your goal goes against your core values and principles, your goal will be difficult to achieve because self-sabotage will kick in.

Ask yourself, “Will the achievement of this goal reinforce who I am as a person, leader, minister, or person?”  If your goal does not reinforce who you are, you may need to revise your goal or change it all together.

 

Link Your Goals With Other(s’) Goals

 

As alluded to earlier, achieving a goal is easier if it is linked to another goal that you have or to another person’s goal. You may find that several of your goals may link together nicely; by working on one, you can easily work on several.  Even more powerful is linking your goal to another person’s goal.

 

Ask yourself, “Who else might benefit from the achievement of this goal?”  Discuss your goal with this person to see if there’s a possibility of working on mutually beneficial goals (win/win situations).

 

By aligning, anchoring, and linking our goals, they become easier to achieve.

To quote Zig Ziglar, “You can get everything out of life you want, if you help enough people get what they want.

 

Next time I will discuss in more detail, ways to better organize your day to help eliminate wasted minutes, which add up to, wasted hours. Join me.

 

The purpose of these blog posts is to help you strive to be more successful and to create a life worth living, so I never want to end a post without giving your some sort of “power question” to ponder over. Answering these questions will help you to take action.

 

Power Question for the day:

In a previous post I asked about what you wanted more of in life, so now I am asking, What do you want less of in life?