1.12.2012

Stop Planning and Start Doing

At the beginning of a new year we are full of ideas, plans, and goals.

After a few weeks we loose our luster and some of our plans fade into the background or are forgotten all together.

Today I have 5 ideas to help you to get from thinking about starting a major project to actually completing one.

• Work first thing in the morning - it's the perfect time to work on projects before the metal clutter of daily life sinks in and consumes your thoughts.

• Work in short blocks of time - 15 to 30 minutes at a time. A daily commitment will make you feel less under pressure and more in control of your time.

• Break down larger goals into smaller ones - start with small steps and gradually work towards bigger achievements. This will give you more momentum to succeed.

• Reward yourself - small rewards like a piece of chocolate, coffee with friends, or an afternoon off, will encourage your to do more with the time you have.

• Make yourself accountable to someone else - sharing your project or goals with a friend or family member will make your work harder, and want to share your success .

All of these suggestions you have probably heard before,  they are practical and easy to do. I hope this post encourages you to actually try one or all of them to start and succeed on your own personal goals.

I have done each and everyone of these tips to help me with my business and they have contributed to my growth. Working in short blocks of time is my favorite and I do this everyday.

Which idea will be easiest to incorporate into your day?


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10 comments:

  1. Thank you for this post!As ever you are inspiring!!! keep well and best wishes for 2012.

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  2. I just read an article about working in short blocks and how much more focused you can be. I tried it (for a day!) and found it did work. With only a short span of time available there was no extra time for your mind to wander! My "problem" is that once I get started on a project I find I often don't have enough time...I'm having too much fun and have trouble walking away! ;)

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  3. Thanks for the reminder Valerie! So far so good on the annual goals!

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  4. The easiest would be the piece of chocolat! Just kidding! all of these are great advice. For me it's making myself accountable that gives me the most motivation.

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  5. Yes, but it's great to have a big, organized reminder! I'm a big fan of breaking things down- it helps you to feel less overwhelmed and like your goal is reachable! One thing I need to get better at is blocking off my morning time. I always want to jump online right away and then often don't have anymore time left for creating as the day comes to a close. I think I'll pick one day a week to create in the am!

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  6. These are all great tips! I like the one that suggest working in short blocks of time. It's easy to become overwhelmed, so I think the short blocks of time really help. =) Great post!
    ~Kim

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  7. I so need to be accountable to someone. I guess I never really thought about that one! Thanks for the great tips!

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  8. If something's just overwhelming, portioning out parts of the work helps me. It's still all my work to do, but it helps to see all of the pieces as part of the whole.
    Great post!

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  9. I've been working on planning out all my ideas so I don't feel overwhelmed by them all

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  10. I know working first thing in the morning makes the whole day go so much smoother. That one I try to do as much as possible.
    I like the short blocks of time idea too, but sometimes an hour goes by before I know it. But at least I worked on a task to a good stopping point. I like lists, so that one helps me accomplish things, but sometimes I ignore a few items on the list....still working on that one.

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Your thoughts and ideas are an important part of the conversation, thanks for sharing!