Something that follows time management well is organization. Wouldn’t you agree?
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Knowing what you want to accomplish as an overall goal works as a great start. Once you establish that goal, then what? You need to figure out what steps to take to reach that result.
What better way to do that than to figure out your priorities and get a realistic timeline set?
Here’s where I also interject that your initial reaction of a timeline may not be as realistic as you want it to be. If you are juggling being the primary caretaker, business owner, doing a majority of that work yourself, client work, and other elements that may be on your plate, then put some real thought into the time that it might take to complete each checkpoint.
Where do you start?
By prioritizing information. Simple, right?
Simple doesn’t necessarily mean easy. You should pull out and list your responsibilities. Between you and that end line you want to cross, what stands in your way? Perhaps you have a handful of activities, errands, appointments you need to make space for. Then, client work that must be done by this deadline or that. Next, you have the networking and regular business tasks to knock-out. FINALLY, you have the availability to carve out moments for the other pieces in order to actually shimmy your way to that overall goal.
Do you see how your initial excited timeline could need a little fine-tuning and adjusting? We are wired for instant gratification and one or two months seems like a long time until you start actually laying out the logistics. So, plan accordingly and be prepared if you have to push back and be open to change once those personal deadlines are in place.
With these tips, you’re sure to achieve that organization:
Family Duties
Start by listing out what you have to do for your kids, yourself, your pets, your husband, any other family or friends you are helping out. Once you have these set, you won’t forget and if these are non-negotiables, then you are better prepared for dealing with your schedule. And, for me, this is the most important part of my days.
Home Needs
In my case, any bills I must pay or cleaning that has to be done should be listed. If that means making dinner or getting groceries, doing a load of laundry or asking my children to get their chores (and what chores those are because they’ll get amnesia the moment I request their assistance), then that item gets written. The instant I write it, I can recall it later but it no longer takes up space in my immediate memory. So, I have freed that up, don’t worry about it, and can move on to other todos.
Business/Client Tasks
I have a weekly blog to format, schedule, sometimes write still, create images for, etc. Client work varies, but certain responsibilities are done regularly and I can schedule those into the specific days and, in some cases, even the specific times I tend to complete them. Controlling what I can means I rarely miss a deadline and if an emergency arises, I have the capacity to move my list around to accommodate. This measure helps prevent stress and shows me any open slots.
Additions
With my other priorities taken care of, I see where I can insert other needs or wants. Whether that means coffee with a friend, ice cream with the kids, or outlining an opt-in I want to create. Preparing ahead allows me to plot and plan for releases, promotions, and gives me a course to follow so I can see where my launch may land. And my timeline may be longer than someone else’s, but at least I won’t disappoint myself or let myself and others down by blowing past whatever date I may have mentioned.
Your priorities may look different than mine, and they may even shift back and forth for what takes the forefront at various points. The fact of the matter is that you need to have your priorities in place in order to organize your goals in a conducive manner.
How do you go about organizing your goals with priorities? Does it look similar or do you approach in a completely separate way? Share with me!
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