A new year signifies new resolutions and opportunities. We know as WOL Bosses you have new goals ready to be chased within the next year. Although resolutions and goals are relatively easy to imagine, accomplishing them seem to be the hardest part. Whether you want to start your own business, travel to a new country, or save up for a new car, your goals should be significant to you and your future. Once you brainstorm your resolutions and goals, you need to ensure each one can be attained and tracked within a reasonable time frame because an unattainable goal will leave a feeling of unfulfillment. Here are three tips on staying focused and on track towards your goals:
1. Invest in a Planner
The best way to plan and track each of your goals is through a planner. A planner is designed to keep you organized and structured with attaining your resolutions and goals. You can clearly define the days and times for each goal, as well as set checkpoints and deadlines along the way. Checkpoints are useful in tracking progress or ideal objectives that get you one step closer to finishing your set deadline. Deadlines should be reasonable in the time you set because too much time can cause procrastination, while too little time may cause unnecessary stress. A useful hack when tracking multiple goals at a time is through different colored pens or pencils that are coordinated with each goal. Color-coordinating your resolutions can help keep you accountable and on track with each of your plans, checkpoints, and goals.
2. Create a Dream Board
A dream board is essentially a visual representation of your resolutions and goals you wish to achieve throughout the new year. Dream boards are especially helpful when you feel discouraged or unmotivated towards a goal because it’s a reminder of why you’re doing what you’re doing. Pinterest is one of the simplest apps in creating a dream board because it allows you to create pins and boards related to your overall goals for the year. Although you can save all of your pins of various photos onto your phone, a printout of the photos you saved is recommended. Placing your photos onto a board or wall in an area that’s clearly visible will remind you of your goals and the meaning behind them.
3. Budget Your Money
Many of our goals require money to save, and the only way to save is to budget. A budget gives you an overview of how much each paycheck is allotted for bills, groceries, and overall living expenses before saving. Excel is useful in creating your own spreadsheet or using a template to track your spending and see where you can be saving. Another way to budget is through Mint, which is an app focused on helping you to manage your money. Whether you use Excel or Mint, your budget should always take into account your expenses and the goal amount of money you wish to save with each paycheck. Over time, your budget will reveal where you may be spending irresponsibly and help you to invest it into your savings or other goals.
Although 2020 has been a rough year for most of us, 2021 brings new opportunity. Use these tips to aid in your dreams becoming reality like the boss you are.
Major Gem 💎: “An unattainable goal will leave a feeling of unfulfillment”