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The process of setting goals and targets allows you to choose where you want to
go in life and take the right steps to get there. When you know what you want to
achieve, you can distinguish between activities that help you move forward and
activities that merely distract you and waste your time.
A good set of goals will provide you with long-term vision and short-term
motivation. You can measure and take pride in the step-by-step progress towards
your target. The process of achieving goals and recognizing your accomplishments
gives you the confidence to extend your personal growth by setting higher and
more challenging targets.
Take a multi-level approach
Goals are usually set on a variety of different levels. Start by deciding what
you want to achieve in your life, then establish a corresponding set of lifetime
goals. Once you've completed the 'big picture' thinking, start working through a
series of lower-level goal plans, breaking your large-scale goals into smaller
and smaller targets.
For example, once you've established some basic lifetime goals, your planning
process may include a five-year, one-year, six-month and one-month plan, ending
with a daily 'to do' list. By taking a multi-level approach, you can reduce even
the biggest lifetime goal into a number of small, achievable tasks. Make a point
of reviewing and updating your plans regularly, modifying them to reflect your
changing priorities and experience.
Create prioritized ‘to do’ lists
While all of your goals and plans are important, your daily 'to do' list is the
key to managing your time for maximum results. The advantage of a 'to do' list
is that it lets you see all the jobs you have to do at a glance. That allows you
to prioritize each task and tackle the important ones first.
‘To do' lists are powerful tools for relieving stress. They reduce overwhelming
jobs into smaller, bite-sized chunks and help you organize the tremendous number
of demands on your time. When you follow your list, you'll have a better chance
of staying in control of your day and avoiding the feeling of being overburdened
with work.
How to prepare a ‘to do’ list
| • | Write down all the tasks that you are
responsible for completing.
| | • | If some of the tasks seem large, break
them down into smaller sections.
| | • | If the tasks still seem large, break
them down again until you have listed everything you have to do.
| | • | Then go through the list and prioritize
each item from one (very important) to six (not important).
| | • | If too many tasks have high priority,
demote some to a lower level.
| | • | Then reorganize the list in priority
order and enter it into your computer or daily planner.
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Now you have a plan to follow that will allow you to deal with your tasks in an
organized way. You'll be able to easily separate the important jobs from the
trivial, time-consuming ones. And if someone asks you to take on a new task or
handle a crisis, you'll know what priority to give the request and where to fit
the job among your existing obligations. Your list will also help you recognize
when it's time to say 'no' and when to delegate a job to someone else.
Using the list
Try to keep your daily list short and aim to complete it each day. Some of your
tasks may be large or depend on input from other people. If so, you may have to
keep a longer list and 'chip away' at it, over time. You may also have to carry
some low-priority jobs from one 'to do' list to the next. But recording these
tasks on the list will help you track progress and will keep you from worrying
about losing sight of long-term commitments. As you approach your deadlines,
raise the lower level jobs to a higher priority.
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