Holy crap!! There are only 70 days left in 2018. So for those of us who sat down at the beginning of this year, setting goals and making plans, determined that this would be our year … how has that worked out for you so far?
Have you smashed those goals out of the ball park? Or are you sitting here in October, wondering where the hell the year went, and trying to work out if you can squash 12 months of action into 3 measly months.
Or perhaps you’ve decided the year is basically over already. After all, Melbourne Cup is the week after next, and then the Christmas party season kicks in – and everyone knows December’s basically a write-off, right? (Wrong!!! but that’s a discussion for another day). Plus the kids finish school in early December, and then suddenly it will be Christmas, and just like that, the year’s over.
But before we start packing up our stuff and writing off 2018 as another year where we didn’t get much done, let’s look at it this way.
There are 44 working days (Monday to Friday) between now and Christmas.
And let’s say you work 8 hours a day, that’s 352 working hours between now and Friday 21st December. And boy, can you get a LOT done in 352 hours.
Now I’m well aware that not everyone works the 9 to 5, Monday to Friday lifestyle, but even in your own unique circumstances, you still have more than enough hours left in 2018 to achieve some big goals.
So sit down with a cuppa, grab a pen and piece of paper, and ask yourself:
- What were your goals for 2018?
- How many are left incomplete?
- What are the most important things you can do to get you closer to those goals in the next 70 days?
- Which goals, now you really look at them, aren’t a big priority for this year? (Consider that if you’ve been putting them off all year, perhaps they’re not all that important).
So how do we get stuff done in these twilight days of 2018?
Break your goals up into smaller chunks
Instead of looking at the giant projects that we thought would take all year, break them down into smaller, more manageable chunks. It’s easier to visualise and tackle completing smaller jobs (that add up to a big goal) rather than the big picture itself.
Schedule the smaller chunks into your calendar
If it’s not scheduled, it’s not done! Creating a huge list of things to do is not likely to make it easier. Estimate how long each task will take and schedule it (plus a bit of extra time for contingencies) in your calendar. If it’s not scheduled, your time and focus will be hijacked by other, less important things.
Set weekly milestones
Setting weekly milestones will help you measure your progress and stay on track.
Identify how you will measure success
Make sure your goals are really measurable, and that you know what success looks like. Then measure your progress diligently.
Know your available resources
Understand how much time and money you have available to you, and plan accordingly.
Get help
Look for ways you can outsource or get support to help you towards your goals. Stick to what you’re good at, and get help with the rest.
Remove distractions
Weed out and remove distractions. If you really want to get some big goals ticked off the list, there might not be as much time for social media browsing, coffee catch ups and other activities. That’s not to say there’s not a time and place for these things … but don’t let them derail your efforts.
Just say no to new projects
Unless it’s an earth-shattering, once-in-a-lifetime, never to be repeated opportunity (and really, how many things truly fall into that category), really question taking on anything new between now and the end of the year.
Imagine how you feel when you get to December 21st with big goals achieved. How good will those end of year celebrations feel? You will be able to relax over the last few days of the year, celebrating your successes and getting ready for the year ahead.
