Everyone has 50 million things to do.
And yet some people manage to get a stack load of stuff done. And we all have the same 24 hours in a day. It got me thinking why them and not others?
But … insert really plausible reasons why you aren’t achieving your goals … you’re busy. So busy. And you’re asking me to do more?
I get it. I really do. I’m busy too. I know that some days you are on the go from sun rise to sunset and barely have time for a break.
And if you do, you just want some mindless relaxation time. A little Facebooking. Some Twitter. Some telly.
Not actual more work. Or study. Or exercise. Or cooking dinner. I totally understand that moment. And I understand the danger of succumbing to it. Social media is designed to be addictive. Pre-packaged meals, Uber Eats, takeaways are equally addictive when we chose super palatable, sodium, saturated fat and sugar laden meals. Both options can be soothing, numbing agents that provide some welcome respite from our day.
But is this good for us? There are countless reports on the negative impact of social media. And junk food. And avoiding exercise. We know this and yet it’s hard to commit to making the required changes. I mention these particular things as they are a common thread with naturopathic clients who struggle to incorporate healthy changes into their lives.
Trust me, I’m still using social media and Uber eats. But this year I’m stripping away the excuses and the enablers and I’m tackling my ‘life to do list’. Firstly, by making a really simple list and clarifying what my goals are. There are some great big hairy audacious goals and there are small bite sized ones. And I’m making progress on most of them.
How? By making sure every week I have done something on the way to completing that goal. Mostly lots of ‘micro moves’. These are small tasks that can be done in a short amount of time that give you a sense of positivity and keep you moving toward your goal.
I’m also outsourcing those tasks that I just need help getting done. Oh, and I’m asking for help from friends and family as well if they have particular talents I really need …. like I have one WordPress bugbear. Do I know any WordPress Gurus?
There are countless reports on the negative impact of social media. And junk food. And avoiding exercise. We know this and yet it’s hard to commit to making the required changes. I mention these particular things as they are a common thread with naturopathic clients who struggle to incorporate healthy changes into their lives.
I’m trying very hard to be visible so that people know what I’m doing, researching, learning. What I have on my list to do. What’s stopping me from getting there. You would be amazed at how many opportunities open up when friends, family, colleagues know your purpose and your interests. It’s incredible how helpful people can be if only you let them 😀
In my other areas of work I’m trying very hard to make time for more than just day to day activities and allocate some time to continuous improvement. Even if it’s just journaling brief comments that I will build on. To me that’s a micro move win for the day.
And with increased visibility you also indirectly get a whole load of accountability. If people know what you are doing or planning to do they can’t help but be interested in where you are at in the process. Now you’ve got your very own stakeholders expectations to manage. It’s a powerful motivator to make change happen.
My visible move for the week? I signed up for a fun run. I hate running. It bores me to tears and it’s tough going too! But one of my goals this year was to run 5km’s without hating it. So now you know. I’ve gotta turn up on May 9th now. Maybe I’ll see you out there. And I’d love to hear that you are making your own micro moves toward your goals.
Stay well.