Be Accountable

"The more you publicly commit to an attitude, the better able you are to resist any attempts to change it and this is largely due to those increases in confidence and perceived importance." (blogs.scientificamerica.com)

In this social media society, many people announce their New Year's resolutions on Facebook. Declaring your intentions can make you feel one step closer to your goal.  Also, committing publicly to a plan makes you accountable to your family and friends.  Others might jump in the boat with you, offering their support.  Some might cheer you on privately.  Making your plans public is also a good way to connect with like-minded people.  

There could be a down side to sharing your resolutions with the public.  Such an announcement could invite comments from naysayers, people who are negative or simply jealous of the thought of you accomplishing something that they haven't.  I read online that some studies show that when you tell others about your plans, you are less likely to achieve them because in the act of telling, you think you've already performed the task.  Don't mistake the act of commitment for progress.  

If you prefer not to announce your goals to the world, just tell your best friend.  Make periodic reports on your progress.  At the very least, if you prefer to tell no one, have a reward system if you stick to your plan and a deterrent system if you stray from your plan.  Accountability helps you stay focussed on the task at hand.  

For more information, read Done and Done:  The Power of Accountability Partnering for Reaching Your Goals by Annette Lyon and Luisa Perkins (2014) at http://www.amazon.com/Done-Power-Accountability-Partnering-Reaching/dp/1497443261.

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Manage Your Time Well

"Time slips through our hands like grains of sand, never to return again.  Those who use time wisely are rewarded with rich, productive, satisfying lives." (Robin Sharma)

When I was a child and a young adult, I used to arrive early for everything.  I was so well organized that I was rarely late for anything.  However, once I had children, my life became busier.  Now I find myself arriving on time or even a few minutes late.  I try to pack too much into my day.  If you are like me, here are some tips to help you manage your time well.  

1.  Make a to do list for the day, week, month.  Prioritize your tasks from most to least important/urgent.  

2.  Balance urgent tasks with tasks that can be done gradually in your daily routine.

3.  Focus on your most productive time of the day.  

4.  Manage your time in increments of 15, 30 or 45 minutes each.  

5.  Periodically (ideally every 45 minutes) take a break to refresh your mind and re-energize your body.

6.  Keep track of your progress.

7.  Reassess your to do list.  Add or take away tasks.  Delegate tasks.

8.  Leave time for fun to refresh your mind and relax your body.

9.  Sleep 7 to 9 hours per night to give you optimum alertness and energy.

10.  Don't spread yourself too thin.j

11.  Take advantage of small gaps of time between larger tasks to accomplish something.  A few minutes here and there adds up to a big chunk of time.  Note:  When I first took part in Nanowrimo, writing a 50,000 novel in a month, I realized that I had to do this in order to meet my daily word count. It worked wonders!

12.  Complete each task from beginning to end.  Set "way points" where you reward yourself with something small once you have completed a big chunk of the task.  

13.  Give yourself a Planning Retreat where you spend a day planning your goals for the year.  Visit http://thehumbledhomemaker.com/your-retreat-ebook?ap_id=sheilagregoire for more ideas.  

For more tips on time management, visit http://www.wikihow.com/Manage-Your-Time.  

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