SolveYourProblem
Article Series
Setting Goals & Goal Realization
Time
Management: Important For Goal Realization
You know where you want to go and what you want to do and maybe
even how to get there. You have goals. But did you know
that time management is an important part in getting those
goals realized? In fact, poor time management is one of
the reasons for poor performance. Learning to manage your
time can make you even more successful.
Many of you have been schooled in the art of procrastination.
You continually put things off, and when you do not get around
to them you come up with excuses. Maybe you did not make it
to the gym today. Oh well, you are too tired and you always
have to wait for a treadmill anyways, right? So it begins.
Pretty soon, you are in the habit of not going to the gym instead
of going. You all know that habits can be hard to break!
To break the procrastination cycle, you need to learn how
to manage your time. At this moment you might think you do
not have time to pursue any additional goals. But once you
get yourself organized you will be surprised at how much time
you really do have.
Start
with a list of everything you want to accomplish and
when. Do you go to work five days a week? Did you want to lose
10 pounds by Spring Break? Got a lunch with friends on Tuesday?
Right it all down. Include professional, personal, and social
activities – you do not want to leave anything out.
Now, sort your list into two
categories – those things that
need to be attended to in the near future, and those that can
wait. Like the report that is due for work on Friday needs
to be attended to sooner than planning the birthday party for
your best friend next month.
Next, go over your list of items that need to be worked on
quickly and rank them in importance. For example, even if both
are on Friday, finishing the report due for work is probably
more important than attending the one day only shoe sale at
your favorite store.
Now that you know what you need to do, you
have to plan on how. Start with finding a way to put your schedule down. Some
people like a large desk calendar, others a PDA, and still
others a day-by-day planner. Find a system that works for you.
To start your calendar, begin by writing in your must-do
routines.
If you work Monday through Friday, have the bowling league
every Saturday, and Bible study every Sunday, for example,
put those items down now.
Next, figure out your own internal clock and use it to your
advantage. If you have the most energy in the morning, maybe
you should switch your appointment at the gym to before work
instead of after. Try to balance your schedule into something
that you can actually manage.
Now, break your goals down into manageable pieces. A huge
task will seem daunting and insurmountable which will discourage
you from even beginning. If your goal is to lose weight which
sounds better – to lose 10 lbs by Spring Break or to lose one
pound a week? Chances are it sounds easier to lose a pound
a week – even though the end result is the same. In your mind’s
eye you are thinking “a pound? That’s nothing! I can do that.”
Write these “mini-goals” in on your calendar as well as how
to achieve them. For example, if your goal is to write a page
of your term paper each day will you need time at the library
for research? Or maybe you need an hour a night to work on
typing it up?
Next you will want to optimize
your work environment. Do you
want music or silence? Do you want a cluttered desk or a perfectly
clean one? Shut out distractions – if this is your work period,
do not answer your cell phone for personal calls. Shut your
office door and open it only when necessary. Having voice mail
or an answering machine can allow you to screen calls and return
messages when it is convenient for you.
Reward
yourself for meeting your mini-goals – not just at
completion. Rewards can be anything – an hour visiting friends,
a long hot bath, and dinner out – they just has to be something
that you enjoy.
If you ever get stuck, start back at the beginning. Maybe
your mini-goals can be broken down further. Is there anything
that you feel you can do? Once you start to it you are not
procrastinating any more, and you are on your way to success!
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SolveYourProblem.com
: 2006
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