2021 Goals and Ideals: Zooming in and Zooming Out

geralt via Pixabay

Last January, I decided to come up with 20 things I wanted to improve upon in 2020. They ranged from being more mindful and optimistic to decluttering and using less plastic. Then, each month, when I sat down to review and set monthly goals, I'd take a look at the list to see which three I'd done a particularly good job with that month and which ones I wanted to focus on in the month to come. This helped me to keep my list in mind in a low-key sort of way. I could have posted the list prominently, on the bathroom mirror, perhaps (I do have an I need to see it personal style, after all), but I preferred to let it whir away in the back of my mind instead. The idea was that the items were things to improve upon over time, not benchmarks to hit by a certain date. While this flies in the face of SMART goals, it worked for me, allowing me to make progress on a variety of ideas that mattered to me, rather than striving toward measurable, time-based goals.

How'd I do? Pretty well, overall. I made solid improvement on 17 or 18 of the twenty. I deemed one unrealistic (or at least in need of reworking). And the 20th item? I failed miserably. Oddly enough, that one (set a screen time curfew) seemed fairly straightforward pre-COVID but, somewhere between April and October, I stopped caring about doing it. No motivation, no progress.

As I move forward into 2021, I definitely want to do this again. Some of the items will stay on the list because, although I got better, there's still room for improvement. As I write this, I'm tinkering with the number, though, and leaning toward sticking with 20. While 21 things in 2021 doesn't sound too daunting, I'm hoping to be around for 2035 and 35 things in 2035 sounds a bit overwhelming. More important, the goal is baby steps, and making the list longer and longer doesn't seem to be in keeping with the theme. 

What does this have to do with organizing by STYLE, especially since some the things on my list had nothing to do with organizing? Lists like these go to the heart of Take small steps (the T in STYLE). When I write about taking small steps here, it's usually with respect to chipping away at organization-related projects or items on our to-do lists. But taking small steps is also the best way to get to big goals that mean something to us beyond simply restoring order and making day-to-day life run more smoothly.

geralt via Pixabay

The new year is a great time to think about these kinds of things. What kinds of small steps do we want to take toward ideas and ideals that are important to us? 

Maybe, for example, I want to be more spiritual or more mindful or more optimistic, or use less plastic, less paper, or just less in general. If I were crafting a SMART goal, I'd need to quantify these things and set a time frame in which to achieve my goal. But, if I'm developing a habit, I can simply keep these things in mind and look for opportunities to do them. The first (the SMART goal) is a focused way of taking one small step, while the second (more/less focus) is a broader approach that trains me to be open to opportunities I might otherwise miss. I could set a goal to take a reusable bag with me to the supermarket every week, for example, or I could keep in mind that I want to, as a rule, use less plastic. This might lead me to look around for ways to use less plastic, which could include regularly traveling with reusable bags, as well as getting a reusable water bottle and looking for alternatives to plastic sandwich and freezer bags. It might even lead me to consider the makeup of items I buy on a regular basis. 

Let me be clear. Both options have merit. In fact, every step on the way to our goals is a good one. I'm sure, though, that you've already identified the approach you think will work for you -- or maybe you want to do a little of both. It depends on your style, and it probably depends on the end point you have in mind as well.

Organizing by STYLE is based on our understanding of ourselves and what we know works for us. Once we've identified our styles and learned to think of what comes naturally as an asset, there's no limit to where that thinking can take us. So, for 2021, I will once again be making a list and checking it more than twice. 

Care to join me?

Lilly Cantabile via Pixabay

3 Keys Thursday: 3 Keys to Setting and Achieving REAL Goals

Photo: Dodgerton Skillhause via Morguefile

On Monday, over at The Porch Swing Chronicles, I wrote about my discovery that there's more than one way to set a goal. While I teach my students to set SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-bound) and I try to do the same, I've discovered that sometimes a less structured goal can work just as well.

Is this just an excuse for laziness? It could be. But I think that, in specific circumstances, a "mushy" goal can work just as well. When the thing we're aiming to do is meaningful (especially if just doing it is rewarding) and we're striving to fit it into our lives in an unstructured kind of way (e.g. to merely do more of something), a REAL goal (yes, I just made that up)* is less likely to backfire.

What's a REAL goal?

Reasonable (we can imagine incorporating this into our lives)
Enticing      (we are motivated to incorporate this into our lives)
Attainable   (we can reasonably carve out a small space of time to make this happen)
Limited       (we can enrich our lives even by doing this only a little at a time)

Here are 3 keys to setting and achieving a REAL goal:

• Make it meaningful. A REAL goal should be something you want to do because it matters to you. It should not be something someone else wants you to do or something you think you should do. REAL goals are just for you.

• Make it accessible. When I made a Lenten resolution to read more, I put my Kindle in my purse so that wherever my purse went, books did, too. At home, I made sure to leave my print books and magazines where I could see them (not all of them at once, of course). In addition to making it easy to grab reading material, even when I had only a few minutes, visibility served as a reminder to make time for my REAL goal.

• Accept the ebb and flow. If you want a structured goal that makes you accountable on a regular basis, set a SMART goal. If you want to gradually integrate something of importance into your life, set a REAL goal. Because REAL goals are not time-bound, it's fine if we spend five minutes on them one day, fifteen minutes the next and, some days, we neglect them entirely. The fact that REAL goals are motivating in and of themselves works in their favor, nudging us to go back to them if we spend too much time away.

REAL goals weave richness into our lives by giving us the opportunity to step back and think about the things that matter to us. When our days seem like endless to-do lists, it's hard to imagine that will ever change, and it can be a daily challenge to find time to do the things that make us uniquely who we are. REAL goals encourage us to do just that.

*I did a quick search to see if REAL goals were already a thing, just not a thing I'd heard of. A couple of people have written about the concept of real goals, but I found nothing that matches my description.

3 Key Concepts for the Drop and Run Organizational Style

Dodgerton Skillhause via Morguefile

Drop and run organizers are often busy, busy, busy. Running from one task to another, they tell themselves they'll put something away later, when they have more time, but, before they know it, piles are encroaching.

Everywhere. 

As always, the key is to work with the style in question to make it as easy to put something away as it is to put it down.

• When it comes to organizing, those with the drop and run organizational style benefit from open storage. Lids and multi-step systems are unnecessary barriers to putting things where they belong. Aim to make it just as easy to drop things where they belong before running to the next thing as it is to drop them where they don't belong by choosing containers that make this possible. This simple choice not only improves the look of a space, but also makes staying organized (almost) effortless.

• When it comes to list-making, drop and run organizers benefit from "dropping" an idea onto a list before running to the next thing on the schedule. Creating lists on a medium that travels with you, whether it's your phone or a pad of paper tucked into a bag, makes it more likely that you'll remember appointments and other to-dos, and, more important, you'll know where to find them.

• As for goal-setting, the drop and run organizer is likely to need something to help him or her stay focused. Used to operating out of piles, the drop and run organizer is in danger of starting down one path only to be lured onto another by tempting materials nearby. Setting daily goals via a to-do list and keeping long-term goals close by can help keep distraction under control.

If you're a drop and run organizer, what key ideas do you swear by? Share in the comments below. 

For more ideas on the drop and run organizational style, check out my original post here. 

For printable information sheets 
about containers and the styles, 

click on the CHARTS tab at the top of this page.

3 Key Concepts for the Cram and Jam Organizational Style

Dodgerton Skillhause via Morguefile

No one can accuse the cram and jam organizer of wasting space. Whether it's a desk, a drawer or a backpack, chances are it will be full-to-bursting before the cram and jammer feels the need to expand into a new space.

The one advantage to this type of organizational plan is that everything tends to be in one place, which limits the number of places that the cram and jam organizer needs to go in search of missing items.

As always, the key is to work with the style in question to make it as easy to put something away as it is to put it down, or, in this case, stuff it into an available space.

• When it comes to organizing, those with the cram and jam organizational style benefit from flexible, medium-sized storage. If the container is too small, things will get smashed, wrinkled or otherwise ruined; too big and things will get lost. Using fabric bins without lids can allow the cram and jammer to stuff to his or her heart's content without overloading drawers to the breaking point. A nightly dumping of whatever was carried each day (backpack, purse, tote bag) into a bin or other container affords the cram and jammer the opportunity to return what's necessary to the bag from whence it came and toss or store the rest. 

• When it comes to list-making, try replacing scratch paper with notepads. That way, when one page is full (even by cram and jam standards), a fresh one stands at the ready. This consistent availability of a new writing surface might help curtail the need to fill up every last square inch on a single sheet of paper.

• As for goal-setting, the cram and jam organizer might not have to make specific adaptations unless the tendency to overstuff spaces also extends to a need to overfill  time. If this is the case, and you or your favorite cram and jam organizer tends to cram each hour with tasks, leaving each day jam-packed, try creating a time grid. Divide each usable hour (no more than eight usable hours each day so there's room for task overflow, if necessary) into no more than four increments with one task each. For every three grids in a row that are filled, leave the next one blank as a buffer against overscheduling. Use a bold marker to draw a heavy black line at the end of each day. Only urgent and important tasks can cross the line and extend beyond the eight hour day. Everything else will need to wait.

If you're a cram and jam organizer, what key ideas do you swear by? Share in the comments below. 

For more ideas on the cram and jam organizational style, check out my original post here. 

For printable information sheets 
about containers and the styles, 

click on the CHARTS tab at the top of this page.

3 Key Concepts for the I Love to Be Busy Personal Style

Dodgerton Skillhause via Morguefile

Two summers ago, I wrote a series of posts dedicated to strategies that work for each of the styles. As part of this summer's goal-setting series, I've decided to revisit and update those posts, especially since summer is one of the times that many of us take advantage of the longer days to tackle projects like organizing. For each post, I'll link back to the original post first (and sometimes I'll even steal from it), then provide some insights for organizing, list-making and goal-setting.

I'll begin with the personal styles: I need to see it, I love stuff and I love to be busy and move on to the organizational styles (drop and run, cram and jam and I know I put it somewhere).

Up first: I love to be busy. Click here to read the original post.

Time management is usually a strength for those with the I love to be busy personal style -- it's the thing that enables them to do so many things. Unfortunately, when time is tight, organization can be more challenging.

• Organizing: Divide and conquer. As I said in my original post, I love to be busy folks often benefit from having separate storage for separate activities. For kids, this might mean separate bags for school, sports and music lessons; for adults this might mean leisure reading goes in one bag, each hobby has a storage space of its own and each committee or commitment has, at a minimum, its own notebook. Depending on their organizational style, the I love to be busy  among us might also like compartmentalized storage that allows them to see at a glance what's missing from any given container. Separating supplies by activity also prevents unrelated items from getting mixed together. 

• List-making: Together, but separate. I love to be busy folks often benefit from a notebook system. This allows them to separate lists by subject, day or activity, but still keep them all in one place, minimizing the possibility that important reminders get lost or misplaced. Inexpensive pocket-sized notebooks work well for this and can be customized to meet the needs of the list-maker; simply use sticky tabs to create sections.

• Goal-setting: Small bites. Because they're involved in so much, it's all too easy for I love to be busy folks to overdo it on the goal-setting. Even just one goal per activity can quickly create an overwhelming list. If you're an I love to be busy person, it's important to consciously limit the number and size of the goals you set. A big project or goal in one place may mean you can only set small, short-term goals in several others. Dare to dream, but make sure the reality is something you can accomplish in small steps because life is sure to intervene.

If you're an I love to be busy person, what are the key ideas you swear by? Share in the comments below!

For printable information sheets 
about containers and the styles, 

click on the CHARTS tab at the top of this page.

3 Keys Thursday: 3 Keys to Successful Goal-Setting

Dodgerton Skillhause via Morguefile

Yesterday, I wrote about my mid-year goal-setting session. One of the reasons I've come to enjoy this process is that I've come to look at it as me time -- time to think about what I want to do and what I want to accomplish, rather than stuff that has to get done.

Want to do some goal-setting of your own? Whether you jot your goals down on a piece of scrap paper, in a neatly tabbed notebook or somewhere in the recesses of your planner, here are a few suggestions to make the process more helpful than painful.

Dream big. Do you remember being a little kid and having adults ask you what you wanted to be when you grew up? Try thinking of goal-setting in that respect. You can dream as big as you'd like, change your mind at any time and include things like princess, superhero and pro athlete on your list of goals. What would you do if the sky was the limit?

Think small. So, you've done it. You've identified your goals. That part was fun, but now they seem so far away and unrealistic. What is one baby step you can take in the next week to get to one of those goals? When I said I'd made progress on my goals, I didn't mean I'd checked them all off my list; I'd simply taken a succession of baby steps in the right direction. Maybe I'll get there, maybe I'll take a detour or maybe I'll change the route entirely, but in any event I need a destination, and each step takes me closer to where I want to be.

Make recognition a part of the process. Long-term goals, in particular, can be big and intimidating. If we learn to focus on how far we've come rather than how far we still have to go, the process gets easier. In addition, we need to acknowledge our small successes. We don't need to throw ourselves a party every time we do one little thing, but we should at least take a moment to pat ourselves on the back (or put a checkmark on the page) when we take a step in the right direction. If we aim for a succession of baby steps, we creep ever closer to the goal, even if we fall down and get back up again after each step.

How about you? Are there any secrets to successful goal-setting you'd like to share?

The Big 3

Amazon.com

A long time ago, I read a book called, Write it Down, Make it Happen! I'm sorry to say that I don't remember the specifics of the book, but I credit it with my belief in the concept that writing down a goal makes it more likely you'll accomplish it. Research agrees as well. Not only do we do a better job of meeting our goals when we write them down, but we're also more successful at doing so when we go public.

Although I do a good job of writing down my long-term goals, I'm not as good with short-term goals, and, when it comes to daily goals, I tend to overestimate what I can accomplish. Then, I get overwhelmed, and stop writing things down altogether. 

Sometimes, structured procrastination saves the day and I accomplish stuff, even though it wasn't what I thought I'd accomplish when the day began, and sometimes, I'm satisfied with that. But other times, perfectionism takes over and I become annoyed with myself for not doing that perfect thing -- you know, the one I was supposed to be doing in the first place.

Last week, I decided to try a new approach that I'm calling my "Big 3." I can't take credit for this, but, unfortunately, I can't give credit, either, as I know I've read something similar in multiple places. I've seen various numbers bandied about, ranging from writing down just one thing (the most important thing) you want to get done on up to other magical numbers, but I've settled on three. If I write down just one, perfectionism overtakes me; I feel as though it must be done in its entirety (and to perfection) by the end of the day. In addition, checking only one thing off my list seems insufficient.  

Much too much pressure for something that's supposed to be working in my service.

Big 3 became a plan quite by accident. One day last week, I was feeling scattered, and I thought writing down three things I wanted to get done before the end of the day would help me focus. I did this late in the day, when I felt as though the remaining hours were slipping away, and I wanted to harness some productivity.

And it worked.

So I did it again.

And it worked again. 

Even better, I felt a release of pressure. Instead of my relentless to-do list nagging at me, I was taking charge of it. Showing it who was boss and doing away with the "shoulds."

Pixabay

With three things on my list, I'm okay with not getting them all done to completion, let alone perfection. Simply spending some time on all three leaves me with a feeling of accomplishment. And, if it turns out that I can squeeze in a few more things, that's good, too. In fact, I tend to plan the rest of the tasks I tackle around my Big 3, which leads to a more productive day, even when all of the Big 3 aren't fully completed by day's end.

I'm still playing with timing. Now, I tend to set my Big 3 at the beginning of the day, but I suspect that when things get busy, I might also readjust later in the day to try to use the early evening hours more efficiently. 

You might prefer a different number. You might like writing down the most important thing, and planning the day around it. You might like focusing on just two things -- one for early in the day and one for later in the day.

Whatever you end up with, remember to be realistic. Writing focused goals doesn't add more hours to the day or more spring to your step. If you're not in the mood to put something on the top of the list today and it doesn't have an immediate deadline, save it for tomorrow. 

Finally, don't forget to put the fun stuff on your list from time to time. I have a stack of to-be-read books that never seems to shrink because I don't make reading a priority. Yesterday, I listed reading as one of my Big 3, giving me an excuse to walk right past other tasks so I could curl up with my book. 

And check it off my list.

Dominican University of California