Tips to Get Organized (& Get It DONE!)
Ever feel completely on top of your game, tackling all of your to do’s and hitting every goal in great stride? Yeah, me neither…
But I promise, there is a way to crush those goals!
If you struggle with the fine line that falls between finding perfection and making real progress, read on →
It’s so crucial to find peace along the way to your goals, learn to see “progress, not perfection.” But it’s not easy to do…
Such a simple phrase; we’ve all heard it before. Take steps toward your goal, in bite-sized portions, without becoming weighed down by the need to create a flawless product. Super simple, right?
Well, I have another phrase for you: Analysis Paralysis – Allowing the need to achieve absolute perfection in your goals (I mean, let’s be honest, is there such a thing??) to paralyze ANY forward momentum, preventing you from achieving, well……anything – and it’s a real struggle. Sound familiar?
So what can you do to move the needle, to break free from a constant need for perfection and tackle those goals?
Can you think back to that moment when you first set up your goals? The excitement, the energy, the immediate need to #crushit! Now think back to a few weeks later: you dust off the ole’ notes a few times, revisit them (and wonder what the heck that one means?), and try to drum up the enthusiasm you once felt? Back when nothing was going to stop you from hitting this goal (I Am Woman by Helen Reddy playing like an anthem in your mind). What changed? The idea of creating something not. quite. perfect. And back into your desk those notes go (and the I Am Woman anthem inside your head screeches to a halt like a record that’s all played out).
Well don’t let the music stop just yet! Let’s look at 3 steps you can start immediately to seek progress, not perfection.
Write down your goal: clearly and precisely, including measurables if possible.
For example, having the goal “to lose some weight in the next few months” is way too vague and does NOTHING to inspire you, let alone help you gauge whether or not you’re making real progress. A goal that reads, “Lose 20 pounds in 3 months” is much more precise and measurable.
Here’s a great article that guides you on how to effectively create goals for yourself:
https://www.linkedin.com/business/learning/blog/productivity-tips/most-people-are-bad-at-making-goals-here-s-how-to-do-it-right
2. Next, break that goal down into easy-to-digest, clear, bite-sized tasks that will help you measure your progress. Bonus points if you include due dates for these!
Make sure not to get too far into the weeds with this but include tasks that will really help move you forward toward hitting your goal.
Progress tasks for this goal might look something like this:
Design a weekly meal plan
Set up chart in bathroom to make daily morning weigh-ins
Prepare weekly exercise plan
Complete grocery list each Thursday evening for Sunday morning meal prep
Prep (5) breakfasts, (5) lunches, and (5) dinners each Sunday morning
Post blog to fitness group each Monday evening outlining weight loss progress
3. Incorporate these progress tasks into your daily to do’s.
Your daily to do list should function similarly to your progress task list – to do’s listed should be clear and concise and bite-size (within reason). These are daily to do’s, not long-term actions. These are items you can move check off throughout your day and see real progress in. Don’t keep the progress tasks of your goal separate from your daily to do’s. They all have to get done, and you’ll have much more success if they are listed together and time is set aside in your calendar for each.
You’ve now taken a goal with no real parameters to it, and turned it into something truly manageable, with achievable tasks that may actually be excited to check of your list.
Seeking out perfection rather than simply checking off the next box on the list (which is where real progress lies) only exhausts your energy, and zaps up tons of your focus and time...All energy that can be used to create new ideas and check off the next things on your list.
On the other hand, when you start to focus on the smaller wins, the tasks you can knock out in smaller bites, your larger goal falls into reach and you feel motivated to knock out the next one! Hitting those smaller milestones helps to rewire your brain in a way – helps it recognize multiple wins (and learn to celebrate) – rather than dread the idea of failure. And you deserve to celebrate, don’t you?
Leave a comment below if you found this tip helpful. I’d love to know how it helped you!