Start 2011 With Goals Firmly In Place

Have you found yourself at that end of the year still wondering what you have accomplished? Without clearly written goals, it may be hard to identify what exactly happened within those 365 days. The best way to see results, whether good or bad is to have set goals to reach throughout the year.

I really didn't set any goals for myself until the last three months of the year. This forced me to set schedules and get work done in order to get the results I needed. I'm really proud of what I could finish. This has only encouraged me further to start the new year off with goals and plans firmly in place. I've already re-organized my spreadsheet, set monthly and daily goals while allowing for incidentals.

Don't shy away from goal setting and definitely don't put it off. It's a new year and a new tax season. The perfect time to align all work and family schedules.

Let's start this year off right and make 2011 better than 2010.

Day Five: Review, Catch-Up And Relax

The first step is to review your week. See what you've accomplished on your To-Do list and what's left undone. What do you have to catch up on? What's on that list that just has to be complete before the weekend?

Michael Jackson Relaxing

*Follow up on emails and phone calls - Answer all important messages. Give a final check on Friday and catch up on significant work. Then let it go, don't worry about an emergency someone will call you.

*Saying the word "NO" is easy - Let it roll off the tongue. Don't take on more than necessary. An overworked person will end up doing more harm than good. Enjoy your weekend. It also gives you a chance to wind down before it starts again on Monday.

*Let your weekend be free of work - Leave it in the office even if it may seem difficult. However, guess what it'll still be there for you on Monday.

*Schedule mom time - If you haven't added this to your To-Do list now's the chance. Try relaxing and doing something just for you and/or the family. This can be the most rewarding of all.

This week we just went over the basics. Next week we'll get into more exercises and techniques that'll help you better manage your time.

To Recap:

1. You should have reviewed what you do all day to see where you can make changes to use your time wisely.
2. You should have started a To-Do List.
3. You should have looked over your list to see where you can combine activities to shorten your days.
4. You should have looked over ways to manage time when on vacation and how to use Outlook Tasks to manage your list more effectively.