Summer Planning: Tips For Setting Goals & Following Through
The excitement of summer felt much different when I was a student than it does as a parent. My to-do list as a student was almost nonexistent; now my to-do list is long, tedious, and I have less motivation to follow through and get it done. My routine is less structured and my gaps of productive time are more sporadic, making initiating my tasks seem almost impossible.
I’ve figured out a few tools that work for me — to know what I need to do, make a plan to get it done, and then build strategies to stay focused.
Here are some tools to help you have structure this summer:
THE BRAIN DUMP: Whenever I have a lot in my head and can feel the thoughts and tasks circling around in my brain, I set a timer for 4 minutes and do a Brain Dump exercise. Use a blank piece of paper and a pen, or even an app on your phone, and write down everything you need to get done. Don’t worry about how long the task will take, or the deadline, just get it all out of her head and onto a paper. After the 4 minutes, I start organizing my list - what is a task that needs to be today and what can wait until July; what do I need help with; are these items I can buy together at one store? Each day I circle the 1 or 2 tasks that I can get done.
SCHEDULE YOUR TASKS: Once I’ve identified my 1 or 2 tasks, I plug them into my calendar with an assigned time (i.e. appointment). If I leave it as a task or just an idea, I’ll never do it. Scheduling my tasks in helps me use my small chunks of 20 minutes and turn them into a productive use of time.
REWARDS: Lastly, I use the Focus app or give myself an incentive to get the task done. If I make all these returns, I can stop and get an iced coffee next to the last store. I also find crossing something off my list is a motivator in itself!
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