Time management tips may be keys to achieve your most treasured goals. But what if you habitually get halfway through a project, only to realize that your time is crammed too tight for you to breathe?
These 5 easy questions will help you develop effectiveness in setting goals. By learning how to fit new goals into your schedule, you will succeed with more ease and more pleasure, too.
Beat The "Buffet Plate Syndrome"
Often problems with goals start right when you select them. Perhaps you don't realize that your goal is over-ambitious until you are good and stuck, halfway through! How can you spot this sooner, so that you don't keep biting off more than you can chew?
This can be challenging. I call it the "buffet plate syndrome". You go to a buffet that is beautifully displayed. The aroma and anticipation call you over, and you eagerly fill your plate.
About halfway through your dinner, you realize your eyes were way bigger than your stomach... and you feel like you won't need to eat for another month!
Well, the same syndrome can originate from an overambitious goal. You're sure you can easily accomplish it, and it sounds so exciting, you simply can't pass it up - until you're overcommitted and out of time.
Is This REALLY The Goal For You? Answer These 5 Easy Questions.
It's extremely helpful to actually write down your answers. So, record your responses and keep them handy. Then you can use them as a guide before embarking on a new project:
1. What exactly will this project give me?
2. What must I commit to in order to reach my goal?
3. How much time will it take on a daily/weekly basis? Create a workable estimate by breaking the project into manageable, sequential tasks.
4. What activities will I need to cut back on to create time for this project? How will that reshape my day and my week? While these are easy questions to push past, they are very important ones to answer!
5. What are 3 ways I can "right-size" this project, if it is too ambitious? For example:
* Extend the deadline to reduce urgency.
* Create intermediate sub-goals for the initial focus.
* Create a list of interested friends or colleagues who might offer support at key junctures.
Remember that ambitious projects require ambitious outlays of time. So, take a moment to envision whether this commitment will energize you or deplete you on a day in, day out basis.
Don't forget that some goals, once reached, still require a considerable outlay of time. So when you are planning to bring it into your life, remember to ensure you'll have time to accommodate your project's successful conclusion, as well!
See how breaking down goal creation into these components helps you succeed without feeling you're crammed too full of plans to move?
Enjoy the new feeling of spaciousness. And then ask yourself one more question. What is your next step to celebrate your time with smart goals and great follow-through?
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Download our free Finding Time Success Kit, with "The New Finding Time Boundary Template: 9 Steps to Find More Time & Recharge Your Energy!" at http://thetimeschool.com/template
This time template plus workbook will help you move beyond overwhelm, disappointment, and frustration. You'll find 24 hours really are enough!
Offered to you by Paula Eder, the Time Finder Expert.
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