"Don't be afraid to give your best to what seemingly are small jobs. Every time you conquer one it makes you that much stronger. If you do the little jobs well, the big ones will tend to take care of themselves." Dale Carnegie
Plan today and know exactly what to complete by year end. Save time and money while building a feeling of accomplishment. It doesn't matter what you have done up until now. We accomplish much more than we acknowledge. What depletes us is when we waste time or procrastinate. Don't waste energy beating your self up. Begin! Use the steps below to organize life, boost completions, and feel great by year end.
Step 1- Set up your system- Use a notepad, palm pilot, blackberry, or whatever works to get tasks out of your head and into a system. You can pick up a Get Things Done task list or a Holiday task list at the author's website if you like. The key is to free up your mind and have your plan in front of you daily.
Step 2- Reflect on your annual personal and professional goals - What do you need to do to feel good about the year? Begin getting all of your to do's and any items you need to pick up out of your head and into your system. If you got off track this year think about what part you CAN do. Begin, so that at year end you feel good about starting instead of regretful for not following through. Write what you CAN do in your system.
Step 3- Ponder what you can do by year end to feel great about yourself- What would set you up to feel confident, at ease, happier, etc.? Examples include: build a skill, reach a goal, develop a new habit that will serve you next year such as completing tasks, taking action on the important stuff first, listening more, reading daily, etc. Choose actions that lead to the greatest positive results and write it into your system.
Step 4- Decide what is draining you that you will leave in this year- What tolerations, baggage, and energy drains will you handle and leave behind? Consider these areas: environment, physical, financial, relationships, and other. Here are a few examples in each area to begin brainstorming:
~ Environment- What cleaning, repairs, clutter, and maintenance do you want complete? What drains you when you see it? What papers need filed? Is your schedule serving you well?
~ Physical- Do you want a more energizing menu that makes you feel your best? Is there a doctors or hair appointment that's been put off? Do you want to cut down on TV time or are you tolerating not exercising?
~ Relationships- Let go of a draining relationship (or cut down time), spark up a relationship, develop new relationships with those you can learn the most from, stop gossiping or criticizing, forgive whoever, etc.
~ Financial- Do you want to lower expenses, pay off a debt, start a savings account, or create a will?
~ Other- Stop feeling guilty and forgive yourself, stop feeling you do not deserve the best & open to abundance, stop saying "I can't" and shift to "I can", shift from 'it's not possible' to 'it is possible'.
Get your tolerations into your system so you can experience the great feeling of handling one at a time.
Step 5- Holiday tips to get holiday planning done early- Planning ahead saves time and money, and leads to happier days. Choose a theme to maintain focus on what you really want. Jot your theme on the top of the Holiday Task List from the author's website or the system you chose. Examples include Home for the Holidays, Faith First, Simply Sensational, Family Focused, Give unto Others, Extreme Adventure, Holiday Vacation, etc.
In your system add items you need such as cards, invitations, film, tree, décor, gifts, food, etc. Include "to do's" such as set a budget, decorate, photos taken, cards sent, shop for gifts, plan meals, send invites, set boundaries (to protect your time/ self), etc. Decide how you want to serve so that you do it for the joy of it versus obligation. Then simplify as much as possible to leave room to enjoy the season.
Look at your list. Decide what you will commit to handling. If you continue to put off a project maybe a fear is holding you back, or you may not want it as much as you think. Delegate or dump it. If you can't let go, begin.
Keep your list with you. Look at it daily and choose what to handle. Hold a results-based mind set. Instead of focusing on the tasks, see and feel the end result and proceed step by step. The Wright Brothers didn't learn to fly by focusing on how hard it was. Stay focused on how great you will feel by year end… starting now!
Copyright 2007, Beth A. Tabak, All rights reserved.
Disclaimer: All information on this site is provided for informational purposes only! By no means is any
information presented herein intended to substitute for the advice provided to you by any health care or other professional
or organization.
