Five Things You Can Do Today to Achieve Your Goals

Being Organized starts with having Goals. But how can we achieve the goals we set?

There is a lot more to achieving any goal than just having the goal. But it is a first step. You may wonder how some people seem so great at achieving their goals while other people aren’t so good at it. Part of the reason why some people fail is that they do not have a specific goal, one that is clear and focused. In addition, they do not have a schedule of action to actually work toward achieving the goal. In order to meet any goal, start doing these five things today.

1. Craft Clear, Specific and Doable Goals

For any goal to be achievable it must first be clear and very specific. But, it also must be possible. You do want to challenge yourself a bit, and set the goal high, but you want to ensure that any goal you set is possible. Therefore, you will need to do a little research in order to set a goal. For instance, let’s say your ultimate goal is to lose 50 pounds.

Obviously, anyone who needs to lose 50 pounds and sets their mind to it can do so, but they can’t and shouldn’t do it in one month. So an unreasonable goal is “I want to lose 50 pounds in a month.” Instead, a more reasonable and doable goal is to state “I want to lose 50 pounds in 30 weeks.” This is in line with health recommendations not to lose more than 2 pounds per week, and gives you a little cushion for plateaus and other issues.

2. Each Goal Needs Set Actionable Tasks

Additionally, any goal that you really want to meet needs to have the “why” and the “how” included with the “what” of the goal. In the example above you want to lose 50 pounds in 30 weeks, which will be a little less than 2 pounds per week. You’ll need to look at your diet, compute the number of calories you should consume and the amount of exercise you need to see those results.

Thankfully, today there are online calculators to help you determine this easily, but let’s say that you determine that if you consumed 1800 calories a day, and walked for 20 minutes each day, you would achieve your goal that you set within the time limit. So, now you need to include planning your meals and fitting in the exercise necessary to reach your goal. But because of the research you did, you know exactly what is needed to be successful with the goal you set. You can see a clear path to success just by going further and adding these actionable tasks:

* Eat 1800 calories a day
* Walk fast for 20 Minutes per day

Seeing that in black and white you can see that it’s very doable and achievable. But, there are a few more steps necessary to achieve your goals.

3. Schedule Everything

Do not leave anything to chance. Instead, schedule in the work necessary to reach your goals into a real calendar. Writing a list isn’t good enough - you need to schedule in everything so that you don’t miss a single day due to losing track of your schedule. You’ll need time to eat healthier, which requires more chopping and cooking, and you’ll need time to fit in the exercise, which is going to really take more than 20 minutes due to prep time and recovery time. You need to be realistic about how long each thing will take and schedule them into your day properly.

4. Take Action

No goal will ever be achieved if regular action isn’t taken each day. Each morning, look at your calendar and follow through on the plans that you’ve made and the criteria you’ve set for yourself to get things done. All you have to do is the minimum necessary each day to reach your goal. When you get through each day having done the minimum, you’re a success - each and every single day. There is nothing else that can be the result of daily action other than success when you think of it this way.

5. Repeat

Finally, you’ll need to repeat these steps every single day. When you make very specific and clear goals with very specific steps to achieving the goal, based on reality, you will soon discover the secret to success that seems to escape so many people. The real secret is in the doing. It's like going on a long hike - if you take one step at a time, moving in the direction of the map that you’ve planned out for yourself, you will get to the end and you will be a success.

Reaching your goals is just a matter of setting reasonable and realistic goals, and then setting up a schedule of actionable tasks and steps that bring about the end result you want. You can start today to achieve your goals.


****  check out our Life & Business Coaching website for how a Coach can help you achieve your goals.

              North By Northwest -  "Pointing You in the Right Direction for Your Life"

Less Clutter = Less Stress ^SM     in your home, your business and your life

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Room by Room - Getting Your Home Organized

One of the best ways to get started organizing your home is to begin with each room.

Each room has specific organizational needs. That's why it helps to break things down. Here are some room-by-room tips to help you get your home organized.

Bathroom(s)

One of the keys to successful bathroom sharing is organizing the space so that everyone's stuff is protected and itemized. Here are some ideas.

For family members sharing a bathroom, assign a clear bin for everyone's basic toiletries, such as make-up, hair brushes, razors, and hair clips. (Some family members might need two bins.) These bins can be stored under the sink or stacked neatly on shelves near the vanity. Family member's names should be on each bin.

In the shower, everyone can have his or her own hanging basket to store special soaps and personal shampoos. Wash cloths and towels can be color-coordinated per family member, or each family member can have his or her own special hook/rack to hang wash cloths and towels.

Bath toys for the kids can be stored in a plastic bin - just make sure it's uncovered so the toys can dry. A plastic dish pan works well.

Kitchen

The kitchen can be one of the more daunting of the rooms to organize, but it's one of the most essential rooms to get organized. It really can save time if your kitchen is laid out in a way that makes sense, and if you know what you have on hand.

If you're not using an appliance more than once a year, give it away or recycle it. Consider the usefulness of various kitchen appliances before you take up precious space storing them - do you really need a citrus juicer, meat grinder, or iced tea maker? If you do, by all means keep them (more on organizing appliances in a moment). But if you don't, get rid of them.

Appliances can be placed in cabinets or on countertops; some homeowners like appliance "garages." These are basically sections of countertop with sliding/closing doors behind which the appliances sit, hidden, when not in use. It's a variation on the old television cabinet.

Things you use often like salt and pepper should be nearby and have their own spaces. Few things are more frustrating than trying to cook, wanting to find the salt, and not being able to!

Bedroom(s)

For kids, getting stuff up off the floor can be challenging - especially since you want to make sure small people can reach these items to get them down again.

Over-the-door hangers are great for all kinds of items; they don't have to be for shoes. Fill them with your child's favorite small toys.

Stack clear plastic bins on shelves and organize them according to the type of toys in them.

A large, flat, plastic bin can hold all kinds of toys and be slipped under the bed for storage.

Adults' bedrooms can also benefit from organization. For under-bed storage, use the same method as for your kids; just make sure you don't have a pile of clutter under there.

Dresser tops can be organized with baskets, trays, and decorative boxes.

Living Room / Family Room

Get DVDs, videos, and books organized in labeled boxes or on shelves (organized by type).

Magazines and catalogues can go into magazine racks; clean these out weekly or monthly so they don't accumulate. Check with local businesses such as doctor's offices to see if they are interested in taking your back issues for their waiting rooms.

Less Clutter = Less Stress ^SM     in your home, your business and your life

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Get More Done by Doing Less - Organize Your Family's Time

When you think of organizing your family, you probably first think of everyone's stuff. It's true that cleaning up and organizing a messy house are part of family organization; but did you ever stop to think of how organizing your family's time is just as important? In fact, you may find that you can get more done by doing less if you organize your family's time. Your family may also find they have more time for the things everyone enjoys.

Here are some tips on managing time, and how to be more efficient without having to increase your daily workload.

Time for Math and Math for Time

One of the problems with time management is that many of us are stuck in the "addition phase." We add things to our schedules and shuffle things about, but do we ever take away or subtract anything? Here's a tip for keeping your family's schedule sane: don't add anything to your schedule without taking something else away. This can apply to the whole family - your kids can't add an activity, for instance, without cancelling another one; the same applies to you.

To take this concept a bit further, try subtracting first. Sit down with the family and discuss dreams, goals, joys, hobbies, etc. Then look at your schedules. Is your son's goal to be a martial artist? Then maybe you should take music lessons off the list and add in a private martial arts class. Is one of your goals to write a book? Then see if other family members can wash dishes a couple of nights a week to give you time to write.

A Time for Everything...

...and everything in its time! Time is not unlike space in this respect. Here's where you can do more by doing less once again. Does it feel like you do dishes all the time? Do laundry, wiping up, answering the phone, etc. seem to be never-ending?

While it's true that some chores are daily, they don't need to be done a dozen times a day. For instance, rather than grabbing and washing every dish immediately so your sink stays empty all day, wash dishes only once a day, say in the evening or first thing in the morning. The same goes for laundry - work out a regular schedule so that your laundry gets done but you aren't running ragged doing it.

The same goes for phone calls and email. Let your voicemail or answering machine pick up until your allotted time for making phone calls. Screening calls can save a lot of time. Have a set time for email checking, too.

For the other members of your family, homework time, TV time, and other activities can all be worked into the day in a scheduled manner. It helps things go a lot more smoothly and helps you get more accomplished without running frantically trying to keep up.

Electronic Day Timers

Did you know your computer can help you out here? There are tools and software that can help you automate much of your calendar and schedule, keeping contact names and numbers handy and reminding you of appointments. There is software that can do a lot more than that - and some of it may be free online. Take a look...but only during your allotted computer time!

Less Clutter = Less Stress ^SM     in your home, your business and your life

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A Clutter Free Closet - Tips for Changing Season

As the seasons change and you have to pull out your sweaters, heavier pants and coats, now is the perfect time to release some clothes you no longer want or need. Follow these tips for a clutter-free closet.

Before you dig out the winter clothes, think about what you want to keep from last season’s clothing. Be sure you have enough time to complete the task of cleaning and clearing out your closet before you get started. There is nothing more frustrating than starting a big project like this, having your clothes all over your bed and then having to stop for some reason. Not only do you have to put your clothes back into your closet quickly so you can sleep that night, but you also lose the momentum and desire to work on the task at all.

Get a couple of empty boxes. Mark each of the boxes with one of these “S” words – Swap, Sell, Store and Scrap.

* Swap – Items in the Swap box are those you will give or swap with a friend who wears your size. You can also donate them to the Salvation Army or Goodwill or another organization. These are clothes you do not wear any longer but are usable.

* Sell – Items in this box are those you will sell at a consignment store or online. These clothes are still in good repair but no longer fit.

* Store – Items in this box are those you will store for next year’s use or something that has sentimental value to it.

* Scrap – Items in this box are stained or torn and therefore no longer usable.

All of your clothes (cleaned and pressed) and accessories for this season should go into one of these boxes. Of course, depending upon the number of clothes you have, you may need more than one “store” box. Be sure to set the “store” boxes aside out of the way. Leave the remaining boxes open so you can place other items in them as you take out the clothes for this season.

Now that you have cleaned out your closet, it is time to start putting this season’s clothes and accessories into the closet. Pick out the things you know you will use most often and place them in a prominent place in your closet. Consider whether you want to keep the rest of the clothes that are not your favorites. Get rid of clothes you no longer like or you know will not fit any longer. Take the remaining boxes out to the car so they are not cluttering your room.

You may want to use this trick to help you learn which clothes you can purge once the season starts. As you place items into your closet, turn the hangers around backwards. At the end of the month, look through your closet and see how many hangers face the wrong way. Take those items out and re-evaluate whether you want to keep them or if they can find a new home with someone else.

Choose how you organize your closet. Some like to place clothes in the closet by colors, others by length and still others by whether you wear them together. You will know the best way to organize them based on your own personal needs. When you are done, you can step back with satisfaction and breathe a sigh of relief that you now have a clutter-free closet.

Less Clutter = Less Stress ^SM     in your home, your business and your life

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Time Management Basics for Working Women

Whether you work from home or work outside the home, all women work. Keeping your sanity while working and raising a family can be quite challenging, but there are some things you can do to help get things organized and less stressful. Here are some time management basics for working women.

Being a Morning Person

You may not be a natural "morning person," but mornings are really crucial for working women. In fact, one of the secrets to becoming a morning person is to be an evening person first! In other words, do as much as you can the night before so that the morning isn't so rushed and crazy. Here are some tips:

* Pack backpacks and diaper bags the night before and put them by the door.

* Prepare lunches (whether for you to take to the office or the kids to take to school) the night before and freeze or refrigerate.

* Lay out clothes the night before so you don't have to figure out what you and everyone else is going to wear.

* Get up before your kids do so you can have time to get your act together before they're up.

* Prepare any breakfast make-ahead items such as cut-up fruit or hard-boiled eggs.

Come to an Understanding

It's important that your spouse and/or kids understand that everyone has to pitch in. If both spouses work, for instance, it's unfair for one spouse to unwind in front of the TV after work and the other spouse to start working in the kitchen. So have a family meeting if necessary to discuss this issue; it needs to be understood that if you're contributing to the income, they need to contribute to the housework and other such tasks.

Prioritize

It's crucial for working women to prioritize their time. You can't, for instance, be driving your child 20 minutes both ways to attend an activity they're only moderately interested in. You also don't have time to attend every single sporting event or performance your kids are in, and it's okay - forgive yourself and do what you can.

Simple Meals

During this time in your life, it's a good idea to keep meals simple. A few main ingredients and quick preparation can be the rule; apply it to all kinds of meals. And in general, kids are just as happy with a cheese quesadilla as they are with an elaborate beef curry dish. In fact, they'll probably like the quick quesadilla better!

Keep things on hand for simple meals, too, such as jarred spaghetti sauce, frozen bread, frozen vegetables, tortillas, and pasta. Frozen chicken breasts and fish fillets can be prepared quickly, even without pre-thawing. Buy ground meat and make it into patties; freeze, and pull them out as needed.

Hopefully, implementing some of these tips will enable you to spend more quality time with your family.

Less Clutter = Less Stress ^SM     in your home, your business and your life

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Getting Organized and Staying That Way

It can be so discouraging to get your home organized and then watch helplessly as the clutter makes its way back in. How does that happen? It's basically a mindset - to get organized is one thing, but to stay that way means you need to approach each day with it in mind. Rather than give up, try working some habits into your family life to make organization stick around. Here are some tips for getting organized and staying that way.

Grow with Your Family

Organization needs change over time, and it's good to be adaptable and change methods along the way. One of the ironies of staying organized is that rigid inflexibility tends to make things worse - if not in actual clutter, then in feelings of resentment and being stifled.

So it only makes sense that you will have to "update" your organization from time to time to keep up with growing kids, changing jobs, and various phases. Here are some tips.

* Toy bins will need to make way for space for age-appropriate items, like journals, art supplies, electronics, and other teen interests. You can update the bins or sell the old ones and replace them, but it's going to require some reorganizing as your kids grow.

* Get rid of the old to make space for the new. Nothing scraps organizational efforts like accumulating stuff on top of stuff. As your kids' interests change (yours, too), don't be afraid to get rid of the things you no longer use and create space for the new stuff.

* As your kids grow, the level of organization they are responsible for will increase. Begin to delegate tasks and try to let family members do it their own way. This is part of letting organization grow with your family.

Personalize It
If you are using organizational methods that just aren't you, or just don't fit with your family dynamic, then it's no wonder you can't keep up with them. You may not be the type to do spreadsheets, for instance, even though your friends rave about how much they helped them. If a dry-erase board or piece of paper and pencil work for you, go with it. Some people do better with an old-fashioned pocket calendar than fancy software.

The same is true in your home. If you are using the methods others have told you about, they may not work for your family. Organization should flow naturally from your lifestyle and be at a level you're comfortable with. It's okay, for instance, if there are some things you prefer not to have too organized.

The Need for Space

Space needs definitely change within a family. Babies, for instance, take up little space in and of themselves, but their stuff can take over the house! Teens, for example, may need more personal space but fewer square feet than, say, an active first grader. And even the adults in the house may go through phases where personal space is more of a priority than at other times. So be ready for these changes and adapt your organizational methods to fit them.

Less Clutter = Less Stress ^SM     in your home, your business and your life

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Family Organization Tips

One of the hardest parts about getting your family organized is knowing where in the world to start. Often, family members feel like they can't stop long enough to get organized. This is where some basic tips can help. Following are some simple, fundamental family organization tips to help you get things in order.

Share the Burden

Often, one family member (usually a parent) feels all the pressure to get things organized, and it just seems like other family members are constantly undermining his or her efforts. To help overcome this, try sharing the burden. For example, every family member should be responsible for putting away his or her things (coats, jackets, shoes, toys, books, etc.). There are various ways you can get your family motivated to take care of their own stuff. You might try:

* Give points for tasks completed, and require the kids to have a certain number of points before watching TV, spending time on the computer, etc.

* Hiding items that are left out can really drive home a message about taking responsibility for one's stuff. Make sure everyone in the family is aware of this consequence if they leave their things out. Then those items can be hidden as you like, and perhaps kids will have to earn back the hidden items.

Work Space

Try establishing work space for family members' various activities. It could be as elaborate as a separate room, simply a piece of furniture (such as a table), or a corner of a room. This helps in several ways:

* All the stuff required for a family member's activity - books, paper, pencils, craft supplies, sports equipment, etc. - can be sequestered in his or her work space. That prevents said stuff from ending up all over the house.

* Family members tend to feel validated when they have their own space to do what they want or need to do.

* Homework space should be separate from entertainment space to avoid temptations, and to make sure that supplies are handy. The need for a computer in homework space is understandable, but make sure that it's only used for school purposes (such as research).

Bins and Containers

Finding the right bins and containers for items can really help get things off the floor and onto shelves, into closets, and just up off the floor. You may find that you can get by with a few clear bins in each work space, or a set of inexpensive plastic shelves.

You may prefer a large dresser or filing cabinet for the whole family, with each person having his or her drawer. Whatever you choose, make sure the containers can be closed and stacked, and that you can see what's in them (and/or label them).

At the Front Door

It seems like the front door area is a catch-all for shoes, coats, jackets, books, and anything else family members happen to be carrying when they walk in the door. Try having a basket or box for each person on shelves by the door; mail, school papers, and other items can go in each individual's basket/box. Every week, the baskets and boxes will need to be sorted through and cleaned out, but done regularly, it should not be too hard.

Less Clutter = Less Stress ^SM     in your home, your business and your life

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