Setting Goals

It may be obvious, but I wanted to say you have to know what your goals are to set priorities. My are to

1. Be more fit.


2. Be able to fit into my clothes, lose 5 lbs.


3. Keep my home and life in order.


4. Stay on budget.

These are pretty broad goals. Some of them are long term goals and some are short term. Because I like to keep things simple I want to keep my goals to a short list.

I could have a list of goals under each of these broad goals, but those things usually end up on a To Do list.

I'm a list person and I write down what I need to or want to do each day, week and month.At the beginning of the month I ask myself what I want to accomplish that month just 2 or 3 things.On Saturday or Sunday I make a To Do list for the week. On a daily basis I have my schedule and I look at the To Do list and decide what I will do that day. I try to do this the night before.

I know it sounds like I'm this terrible organized person, but the reality is that I run hot and cold. But when I start to lose sight of what my goals are I go back to all the planning and keeping track. Sometimes I don't need to do that and can just keep it all in my head and on a to do list. But I always know what my broad goals are, it's the details that get a little muddy sometimes and that is where the priorities come in. I look at my goals and set my priorities and that gets me back on track.

Sometimes I have to say something isn't working and I have to find a new way to reach my goal. I was having trouble with the walking. I was so tired I didn't want to do anything the rest of the day, so I decided to work on just being active and if I have the energy taking an afternoon walk. It's cooler now so I don't really have to do it first thing in the morning. So my goal of being fit hasn't changed but my method has and my priorities have shifted a bit, now that I'm not walking first thing in the morning I'm spending more time and energy on the deep cleaning.

In the past I've made complicated goals and sub goals and it doesn't motivate me, it depresses me. I've learned to keep it short and simple. I write down enough to remind myself what it was I wanted to accomplish. The important part is the process of sitting down and thinking it through. What's important to me and what is just cluttering up my life. What needs to be done first and what needs to wait. I enjoy playing with my new camera but if I don't plan my meals and prep them ahead I won't eat right and if I don't keep my kitchen clean I won't want to cook.

So I hope this post will encourage you if you don't already to sit down with a cup of tea and think about your goals and then your priorities and keep it simple.

Linda