How to Meet Your Daily Goals

This is a guest post by Jessica Edmondson

We’ve all been there – that moment when accomplishing a set of daily goals seems about as likely as winning the lottery while vacationing on the sunny shores of the French Riviera. Truth is, every morning there are a thousand obstacles just waiting to keep you from accomplishing what’s really important.

Fortunately, there are a few simple tricks that can help you focus on the tasks that need your full attention so you can have a productive day. With the proper perspective and a little perseverance, you can develop lifelong habits that will serve as a blueprint to success.

Accomplishing any set of daily goals begins with understanding that you must have priorities. You only have so many hours in a day and you simply can’t do everything. The sooner you accept this, the quicker you can learn to focus your attention on the truly important jobs.

·      Make a List: Sometimes it helps to list your priorities so you’ll have a visual reference to help you manage your daily goals and budget some time for each project. Having a list also helps you identify tasks that aren’t vital – delegate those tasks if necessary or just cross them off the list. But make sure you also keep your mind free of those tasks; otherwise they may still distract you from accomplishing what’s really important.

·      Set Some Goals: After you’ve identified the areas in which to concentrate your efforts, you need to set specific goals. This will help keep you focused and give you a sense of accomplishment when you reach certain milestones. Do you want to write 1,000 words for your new book? Maybe you’d like to make 10 proper introductions to prospective clients. Or perhaps send out a week’s worth of invoices.  

·      Aim to Accomplish: Whatever you need to accomplish, make sure your goals are attainable and reasonable. If you set yourself up for failure, it’s easy to lose focus and get sidetracked. Setting achievable goals will help you realize a sense of accomplishment and encourage repeat performances.

·      Stay on Task: While prioritizing and setting goals can be pretty straightforward, the final step can be challenging, especially in today’s fast-paced, hectic world. To give yourself the best chance at accomplishing your daily goals, you have to learn to remove interruptions from your work time. If you let little distractions dictate how you spend your day, you’ll be surprised how much time will be wasted.

Even when you’re comfortably seated in front of your computer and ready to work, the ability to waste time on the Internet is just a click away. Sure, your friend probably has a bunch of cute baby pictures on his or her Facebook page. You have to avoid this temptation. Before you know it, you’ll be checking sports scores or looking for a daily cartoon to give you a chuckle. Then the morning’s half gone and now you’re pressed to accomplish more in even less time.

By following these simple steps you’ll begin to develop a productive routine that can shape your work habits for years to come. And like anything else, the more you practice, the better you’ll become.

Have you developed a system that allows you to focus your efforts on accomplishing a set of tasks? What tips would you offer for achieving daily goals?

This guest post was provided by Jessica Edmondson who writes about Leadershipand Business Administration for the University Alliance, a division of Bisk Education, Inc.

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