Finally! I am a GOAL-GETTER! For a long time, I was one of those people that was always busy, jumped from one task to the next and NEVER got things done. I finally got fed up and did something about it. My motivation was mostly survival, but I also wanted to do more. In today's culture it becomes more and more difficult to be productive. With the constant distractions, its hard to get things done. Technology has made it so easy to get information at our finger tips and we are seriously addicted to it. Take a look at your phone's tracking of your screen time. How much time do you spend on social media? If you are like me, you find yourself surfing before you can even realize it. AND if you are like me, you know there is not enough time in the day to GET IT DONE! As of today, I am a mother, wife, full-time employee and business owner. Using my time wisely is the only way that I can wear the many hats that I love. Over the years, I have learned many lessons the HARD way. I hope this information can help you dig yourself out of that productivity hole that we get ourselves into or prevent you from making some of the same mistakes. I am now a serial goal setter. Here is what I do to keep myself on track:
Clarity-It goes by several names depending on what business book or training you have taken, but it all leads to CLARITY. When you set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable/Actionable, Realistic/Relevant and Timely) you are documenting the steps that need to be taken in a specific time period to get the outcome that you have set for yourself. Others call it MIT (Most Important Thing), 80/20 Rule or First Things First. If you are hosting a dinner party for 20 people, one point of clarity would be your menu. Your would not go to the grocery store to shop for your party without knowing what you are preparing. You should not be completing tasks for work or personal if you don't know what you are working towards. Otherwise, it is a waste of time and leaves room for error. There are several tools for gaining clarity, and my favorite can be found here. Of course it was created by yours truly .
Write It Down-Only 3% of adults have clear written goals! Yes, you read that right. Unwritten goals leave room for confusion and mistakes. If it is not written down, it does not exist. The SMART acronym mentioned above is great for documenting goals. Once you have your goal written out; make a plan for accomplishing it. Think of all of the steps it will take to accomplish that goal and write it down. This should be a living document so add to it as needed. I love a good to-do list. The satisfaction of crossing something off just propels me to get more done. Here is a tool to walk you through gaining clarity and writing down goals if you don't already have one.
Get Started-Start now! Yep, like immediately! Do something on that list to jump start your progress. If your plan requires that you gain a new skill, go ahead and start to look that info up and bookmark those important pages. Once I have everything written down, I like to get everyone involved in my plan and start to talk about it. I have people in my life that are GREAT at holding me accountable. Do something everyday! Put your goals and plan in a place where you are reminded of it everyday. Commit to checking something off that list everyday until it is accomplished.
Avoid Distractions-These are the #1 things that keep us from reaching our goals. Did you know that it takes 23 minutes to get back engaged in your work completely after being distracted? Crazy right?! Set yourself up for success by removing distractions. First, unplug! Turn all ringers and alerts off on computers and mobile devices. Close your email so that you don't get the pop-ups. Create a workspace that is distraction free. If you are still in quarantine and working from home, find a time and space that the kids and spouse can't interrupt you. Put a sign on the door if you have to. Go ahead and get coffee, check the weather and browse the news and social media BEFORE your scheduled productivity time. No excuses!
There are a number of ways to get and remain productive to accomplish goals that you have set for yourself. These are the tools that have consistently worked for me. If you are interested in learning more; a few great sources are Franklin Covey 5 Choices and 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg and Eat That Frog by Brian Tracy. What tips or tools do you have to add?
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