The 30 Day NO FAIL Success Challenge!

If you're looking for a change in the way you approach your priorities this one's for you! I love planners and checklists and calendars... pretty much anything that helps me stay on task. My mind is like a typewriter and somehow I've conditioned my brain to stay focused while staying on task. Crazy, I know! Nonetheless, everyone does not operate with this level of crazy 😉 and may require a bit more help. But for those who love a new item to help save them time you'll love this. One of my favorite planners is the Day Designer. The overall design can be a bit girlie, however the content is sure fire! In reading one of their guides to reaching your goals I was inspired and wanted to share it with my followers. 

Their post spoke to defining yearly goals and accomplishing these through a breakdown of monthly actions, weekly routines, and daily habits. Simple enough... But where do you start, especially if you've set aside a lofty goal that requires major changes. Well, a goal without a plan is just a dream!

MONTHLY ACTIONS. When you think of your goals it is important to break them down into smaller pieces. Having too large a goal can feel overwhelming which oftentimes are the necessary ingredients for a recipe of excuses and a lack of productivity. Determine reasonably and realistically what you expect to accomplish over the course of just one month. Afterwards draft a list of actionable steps toward reaching each of these goals. I recommend an average of 3-5 steps for each goal so as to not become overwhelmed by your actual goals. Add them to your planner or reminder feature in your cell phone. Those reminders and checkpoints will help you to monitor your progress.

WEEKLY ROUTINES. Routines are structure-based. Thinking about the routines that you currently have in place consider what additions or deletions you can make to ensure the best levels of productivity. Pick a day of the week to sit down and strategize items to be accomplished. It can be as simple as thinking ahead for what meals to prepare, appointments to schedule, or even chores to tackle. My favorite is scheduling where to insert my workouts. I commit to, at minimum, 3 times per week and whether I knock that out on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday or Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday I stick with reasonable and realistic goals that don't feel like pressure or a chore to complete. Remember... you're creating a functional system for success, so setting aside time to better organize that time prevents organized chaos.

DAILY HABITS. Ever committed yourself to doing something and realized after-the-fact that it was going to take an act of Congress to change or grace from the heavens to fulfill? There's nothing worse than feeling like there's not enough time in the day. We frequently overcommit ourselves and become "YES" men and women. I tease my daughter in saying "you have the same hours in a day as Beyoncé." Now of course in her sassy teenage way she quickly adds that Beyoncé has a team, which of course she does HOWEVER for the sake of the chores I needed a poorly executed excuse to encourage her efforts. 😉 But I digress. Our good habits have a way of exciting efficiency. Before I begin each morning I strategize my POA (Plan of Action). I work off of those guidepoints and as the day progresses I feel a sense of accomplishment that I am running my life and not my life running me. So before agreeing to anything CHECK YOUR SCHEDULE first. By doing so you are giving yourself buffer time. It also forces you to operate from a place of saving time and energy for more thoughtful decisions requiring your attention. 

WHAT NOW? According to Kenneth Blanchard "when people ask you what do you do, tell them whatever it takes. In life there is a difference between interest and commitment. When interested in doing something, you do it only when it convenient. When you're committed to something, you accept no excuses; only results." By setting aside time to get a handle on your upcoming day you are increasing the likelihood that you'll follow through with your weekly routines and monthly goals. It's also good because it saves you much needed mental energy for more trivial matters occurring unexpectantly.

Looking to add success to your life?!? Try one of these helpful resources below!