Having a neat written list of your goals and plans is one thing, but actually working towards them is another. Making a daily goals chart, like my fruit, vegetable and exercise one, is a good way to make sure you’re aware of some of the smaller tasks that are part of your goals. But not everything fits into this category.
Once again, here’s my method. I use my day-to-a-page diary not only to keep track of my appointments, but also for a “to do” list to make sure I’m working towards my goals. On each day in my diary, I use the left-hand-side of the page to list appointments, and on the right, I keep a list of tasks I want to carry out on or before that day. For example, when working towards my goal of passing an international German exam, I diarised tasks like “Research where I can take German exam”, “Send German exam application form” and “Study reading section from German exam textbook”. If I was able to complete the task by the deadline, I crossed it out neatly; if not, I also crossed it out but at the same time, added the task to a list for another day. I found this much more effective than simply having a never-ending “to do” list, with all the tasks for my whole life listed there! And my other personal touch is to always use colorful pens in my diary, to make me feel cheerful when I read and write in it. Whatever crazy way works for you is OK!
Give Yourself Rewards
Now, life is not only about finishing tasks and reaching each goal. It’s also about having fun, right? So it’s very important to plan rewards you can give yourself when you reach your goals. For example, if I complete all the tasks on my daily “to do” list, I reward myself with a favorite activity – lying on the couch with a good book. Because I’ve done all I planned to do, I can do this without feeling guilty at all. Sometimes I really need to use my reward as a motivator – for example, I promise myself that if I can get to the end of the week without eating any junk food, I’ll buy myself that new book I’ve been longingly looking at in the bookstore. What’s more, the money I saved from not buying chocolates and candies will often cover the price of the book.