Weekly Planner Goals & Objectives

It's important not to put off working on your goals.

Following through on your weekly goals and objectives can be a lot more difficult than it sounds. It's easy to get sidetracked over the course of your day and forget to do something that needed to be done, or to put off something that needs to be done until tomorrow or next week. We live in a fast-paced society and often we need to slow things down a little to identify what we are trying to accomplish and the best way to get it done.

Start Small

When we are busy and stressed out, it's discouraging to look at a long list of tasks to be done. Sometimes it looks impossible to accomplish everything we need to do. To make things easier, start with the smallest and simplest tasks and get them out of the way first. By eliminating minor tasks and goals from the list, you make the list a lot less daunting to look at as the week progresses.

Stick to the Short-Term

Just as a long list of tasks can be daunting, so can a list of long-term goals that likely won't be accomplished for weeks or even months. The best way to gain confidence and make progress in your goals and objectives is to focus on short-term goals. Break a long-term goal into shorter segments. For example, if you want to quit smoking by the start of the next year, break that goal into easier-to-accomplish short-term goals such as "I want to cut my daily cigarettes down to 10 by next week." By sticking with short-term goals, you can cross tasks off your list more quickly, building confidence and a sense of accomplishment.

Keep a To-Do List

Trying to maintain a running checklist of weekly goals and objectives in your head can make you feel stressed and confused. You're bound to forget some. By keeping a written to-do list, you increase your chances of getting everything done and not forgetting anything. You will feel more organized, and the physical act of checking off another accomplished goal or objective will make you feel more accomplished and confident in the progress you are making.

Don't Procrastinate

The saying "Don't put off until tomorrow what can be done today" applies when you find yourself too busy or stressed to complete a particular task. It's easy to say you'll get to it tomorrow, but this attitude can lead you to put off this task for days and weeks. Procrastination only leads to more stress down the road. When you are faced with the choice of addressing a task right away or delaying it, always choose to do it as soon as possible.

References

• Texas A&M University: Turning Goals Into Actions