Just start somewhere...
So 2018 has started I guess a lot of people are going back to the day job today feeling motivated for the new year ahead... or not....
At this time of the year there are a lot of blogs, articles, forums etc. encouraging us to set goals and targets for the new year and how it will make us incredibly successful. The more I read about this the more options I discover. Should I be setting long term goals, short term targets, writing stuff down, using Apps, buying wonderful diaries that will magically enable me to hit every goal...so many choices.
Each year I aim to have two or three big goals in each area of my life, home, career, sport, interests etc. Depending on what they are depends on how I focus on them. Some require project management software to track them, others I use my daily notebook and others I need more of a daily prompt through habit trackers. I've come to the conclusion that there isn't a one-size fits all for me.
What system do you use?
I recently read interesting research on the use of electronic devices v paper. The research showed that over 80% of people using paper systems remembered more of what they wrote than those who used laptops/tablets etc. Apparently there is a strong cognitive connection between taking pen to paper compared to tapping keys. I use both methods and I find physically writing with a pen on paper requires more thinking than tapping keys or even writing with pen on a tablet.
Personal preferences?
What about those people who never set goals? Research shows we are more focused and enjoy life more if we have something to aim for. That could be a holiday, a family event, a sporting achievement, a financial achievement etc... We are wired to push forward and evolve, so if you've never written goals or targets for the year and don't know where to start, my advice is just start writing.
There's a great book called 'write it down, make it happen', a good place for anyone wondering about where to start.
Happy New Year.
At this time of the year there are a lot of blogs, articles, forums etc. encouraging us to set goals and targets for the new year and how it will make us incredibly successful. The more I read about this the more options I discover. Should I be setting long term goals, short term targets, writing stuff down, using Apps, buying wonderful diaries that will magically enable me to hit every goal...so many choices.
What system do you use?
I recently read interesting research on the use of electronic devices v paper. The research showed that over 80% of people using paper systems remembered more of what they wrote than those who used laptops/tablets etc. Apparently there is a strong cognitive connection between taking pen to paper compared to tapping keys. I use both methods and I find physically writing with a pen on paper requires more thinking than tapping keys or even writing with pen on a tablet.
Personal preferences?
What about those people who never set goals? Research shows we are more focused and enjoy life more if we have something to aim for. That could be a holiday, a family event, a sporting achievement, a financial achievement etc... We are wired to push forward and evolve, so if you've never written goals or targets for the year and don't know where to start, my advice is just start writing.
There's a great book called 'write it down, make it happen', a good place for anyone wondering about where to start.
Happy New Year.
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