goal-setting part 3: weekly & daily goals

Be sure to read Goal-Setting Part 1: Overarching Goals, Projects, Resolutions. In that post, I discussed setting broad goals (at the beginning of the year or whenever). The broad goals are a general idea of things you want to accomplish. After reading that post, read Goal-Setting Part 2: Get Specific // Set Monthly Goals (or seasonal/quarterly goals). In that post I discussed having your broad goals guide your monthly goals. For example, if your general goal is to lose weight, what are you motivated to do this month to attain that goal? Maybe this month you could set a goal to drink water instead of soda at lunch, for example. That goal is more specific and measurable than the general goal... and that's the point. 

Today I'm talking about setting weekly and daily goals. A few weeks ago, I decided to do Crystal Paine's 4 Weeks to a More Organized Home Challenge. I highly recommend it. There were a few every day assignments for the challenge. I discussed them in this post Establishing a Morning Routine, and am going to quote part of what I said there. Every day assignments for the challenge included: "'get dressed in something that makes you feel great' (the premise is you'll be more productive if you dress the part), 'sit down with a cup of coffee or tea and make a list of weekly goals' or daily goals with your weekly goals in mind," etc.  This is where we get to the heart of the matter. For that challenge, I was to sit down on Monday with a cup of coffee or tea (thank you for making me ;) and write down 5-10 goals for the week. Then Tuesday through Friday, I was to sit down with a cup of coffee or tea (again, I can't thank you enough for making me ;) and write down 5-7 specific goals for the day.

I wasn't doing that before. I was just winging my monthly goals and setting out to accomplish them whenever they popped into my head, which with all I have to do every day wasn't often. When I started the challenge, I sat down on Monday, thought about my goals for the week, and my monthly goals would come to mind. I started referring to my monthly goals to help set my weekly goals and then help set my daily goals. It was an enlightening moment.

With all we have to do every day, it is difficult to make goals a priority. (I like this post by Elise Cripe: The Difference Between Goals and To-Do List Items to differentiate between everyday to-do's and projects/goals outside of those everyday chores). My days are filled with mundane, yet necessary tasks. I have to make my kids' breakfast, I have to drive them to and from school, I have to do laundry, I have to wash dishes, etc. Plainly and simply put, goals enrich my life. I make goals that will both challenge me and that I will enjoy. To accomplish these goals, I need to put them at the forefront of my day, which is why I've now started referring to them every morning. I need to remember what it is that I want to do before I allow insignificant activities to consume my time (like binge watching something I don't really care to see or scrolling through social media sites getting in too deep. Tell me I'm not the only one who has mindlessly looked through a celebrity's Instagram feed. ha).

Weekly and daily goals are where things actually get done. My recommendation is to set those general goals. Then set those monthly goals. Then sit down at the beginning of the week (with coffee!) and in even more detail, consider your goals for the week and write them down. Finally, from those goals, make daily goals. Write them down. Highlight or cross them out when you accomplish them. It's a great feeling accomplishing your goals.

Next time: goal-setting part 4: reward yourself. Then I'm done babbling about this (for the time being anyway. ;)