Part of creating the life you want to live is determining what you want to do/achieve and when/how. This is a topic that comes up often in coaching sessions, so I thought I would share some of my basic tips and strategies.
Organize/Prioritize Your Time:
Step 1
Determine the “categories” of life that are important to you. Here are some ideas:
· Spiritual
· Marriage
· Family
· Friendships
· Recreation/Hobbies
· Professional
· Personal
Personal Growth
Health and Wellbeing
· Home Environment
Step 2
Write a vision for the person you would like to be in each category.
Examples:
·
I am a woman who seeks God first
· I am a loving wife who honors my husband
· I am my husband’s #1 fan
· I cherish my children and enjoy shaping them into God loving adults.
· I love connecting with my trusted lifelong friends
· I love being active in nature with people I enjoy
·
I am a motivational speaker focused on encouraging women who have a narrative of not feeling loved, valued, worthy or good enough to create the life they want to live
· I want to grow every day
· I nourish my body with real food so that I feel good and have lots of energy
· My home environment is “fresh”
Step 3
Write yearly goals for each of these categories. Make sure your goals are measurable so that you know if/when you have achieved them. Here are some examples:
Spiritual
· Serve in the children’s ministry
· Lead a woman’s book study
Marriage
· Attend a marriage conference
· Finish Cherish marriage study
· Plan a weekend get away
Family
· Plan family vacation
· Plan monthly family adventures
Friendships
· Monthly get togethers
Recreation/Hobbies
· Try rock climbing with the family
· Waterski this summer
· Stand up paddle board this summer
· Kayak this summer
· Investigate/brainstorm other winter and/or indoor activities
· Crochet a blanket
· Try glass blowing
· Try ax throwing
Professional
· Speak in front of a group of women
· Quarterly fundraiser for charity
Personal
· Choose foods that nourish my body
Step 4
Create monthly goals/tasks for all/most categories based on your yearly goals.
Here are some examples:
· Cherish marriage video
· Revise marriage values, vision and goals
· Schedule coffee date with local friend
· Get together with Cleveland friends
· Scheudule glass blowing
· Coaching for a cause promo
· Create a list of conferences to speak at
Step 5
Create weekly tasks for all/most categories based on your monthly goals/tasks.
· Date with spouse
· Coffee date with friend
· Market coaching for a cause
Of course, other things end up on your weekly list depending on your home/work projects. But, I like to start my weekly to do list by looking at my monthly/yearly goals so I don’t lose my focus of the direction I have planned for myself. Otherwise, my weeks may consist of just “reacting” to everything the happens around me.
So, here are some examples of what else might end up on a to-do list:
· 18 month marketing plan
· Article revision
· Read Lesson 20
· Publish a blog post
· Send out email campaign
· Data Analysis for SDOH project
· Clean out basement closet
Step 6
Create Friday Finishers – As far as I know, Brendon Burchard coined this term. On Sunday night or Monday morning, after you create your weekly to-do list, make a list of 3-5 things that must be completed by Friday at 5 PM. I choose my Friday Finishers based on what will improve my personal and/or business life the most right now. However, sometimes I categorize something as a Friday Finisher if it keeps getting moved to my next week’s to-do list without getting done. (However, when I notice something keeps getting moved to the next week, I ask myself- is this important? Do I need to make it a Friday Finisher and just get it done? Or is it just not important enough for me to devote my time to? And if that is the case, I delegate it or let it go!)
· Publish Blog
· Market Coaching for a Cause in 2 different ways
· Finish Marketing Plan
Step 7
Daily: Choose your top 3 priorities to get done that day. (Make sure you keep your Friday Finishers in mind as you create this list so that you are sure to get done what really needs to be done.) Once you complete those, you can look back at your weekly list to see what else you should work on.
· Close bank account
· Market Coach for a Cause in Women’s FB group
· Write Blog Post
Step 8
Track your wins. Write down (as the week goes) the good things that have happened to you and what you are proud of that you have accomplished.
· Created a video
· Scheduled a meeting with a potential advisory board member
· Cincy trip with family
The key to staying on track and focused is to be constantly looking at these lists so you remember the direction YOU want your day, month, year to go. Otherwise, it will be determined for you based on other people’s demands.
As you read through this post, determine what you feel will work for you and try it out. If you need help customizing it for your specific needs or if you feel you are getting stuck somewhere in the process of dreaming up what you want to accomplish and actually accomplishing it, book a complimentary session. I’d love to coach you through it.