Multiple Goals – 14 Tips To Juggling Lots Of Goals Without Stress
Do you have multiple goals and are feeling stressed? Here are 14 tips to juggling more than one goal (lots of them!) without unnecessary stress.
Let me guess, you probably think life would be so much simpler if you could just concentrate on helping your kids with their homework or getting your house in order.
Forget about all the million other things on your place.
The reality is however that we all have to juggle a wide variety of goals.
But having goals is a good thing, especially when they make you feel more fulfilled.
A number of studies suggest that breaking goals down into specific action steps works when applied to a single goal.
However, that approach tends to backfire when we have more going on (and let’s face it, we usually do).
It seems we then become more aware of the potential obstacles in our way.
So what do you do if you need to make progress on multiple goals without getting overwhelmed?
Consider these strategies.
Evaluate Your Current List of Multiple Goals
1 – Select three priorities.
If you feel like you’re being pulled in all directions, take time to reflect on what matters most to you.
You may decide that preparing simpler meals is an acceptable tradeoff for having more time to spend building your new business.
2 – Be realistic about time limits.
We often underestimate how long it will take to complete routine tasks.
Ensure you know how much time you really have to work with in a typical week.
3 – Decline requests tactfully.
Learning to say no graciously will spare you from taking on excessive obligations.
It;s okay if you want to skip a baby shower for a former coworker you lost touch with years ago if it means spending more time with your family.
You are in control of your time.
You get to pick!
4 – Know what is most important to you NOW.
Our objectives shift at different stages in our lives.
That;s part of growing up and moving through the different seasons in life.
It is totally okay to reevaluate your goals as life goes on.
It’s okay to scale down your career ambitions if deep down you’ve found greater meaning in your spiritual or creative practices.
You get to decide.
Juggle the Multiple Goals You Want to Keep
5 – Select role models.
Interestingly, researchers have found that we’re more optimistic about handling multiple goals if we think the people around us are busier than we are.
Remember you are not the only one with a big to-do list.
Someone out there in the world right now is training for the Olympics, finishing law school or raising ten kids.
6 – Define your success.
Figure out how you want to define success and in which areas.
Maybe you want to excel at parenting, but you’re satisfied with getting your car washed once a month.
Maybe you want to get that book chapter finished but let the ironing wait until you have reached your word count for the week.
Once again, the choice is yours as to what you want to strive for.
7 – Merge goals into one.
Just spotting the connections between common goals may make your life easier.
Focus on being healthy rather than counting every calorie, doing 100 sit-ups or saying you need to run 5 miles every day.
Those three goals fall into one big one.
Recognize it rather than splintering it off into too many sub-goals (that are really just actions) in order to avoid feeling overwhelmed.
8 – Resist rushing.
Slow down.
There is no need to rush.
Chronic stress undermines your performance across the board.
9 – Segment your time.
Think about how you want to use your time every day.
I love the idea of dedicating time slots in advance to different goals and devoting a set time frame to work on those tasks.
Be realistic about the time you allot to each task and do your best to stick to that timer.
Switching between activities will keep your mind fresh.
10 – Master logistics.
Organization helps you get things done more quickly.
Calculate the best route for completing all your errands in one trip instead of making separate outings to pick up the dry cleaning and drop the dog off at the groomer.
All those separate outings quickly add up and being organization is about making the best use of your time.
11 – Work as a team.
Encourage a spirit of community and cooperation.
Thank your kids for pitching in with age appropriate household tasks.
Ask your partner to help you where he or she can.
It is totally fine to view yourself as someone with support rather than a one-woman team.
12 – Seek expert help.
Shorten your learning curve by consulting those who already know the ropes.
They are called experts for a reason.
Let them help you fill in the blanks where you are struggling.
Financial planning is one key area where professionals can help you understand how to balance different needs.
13 – Know your best time of day.
Schedule your most challenging demands for the times when you’re at your peak.
If you’re an early bird, wake up and get some tasks done before breakfast.
Night owls can review their work or tick any remaining boxes after dinner.
14 – Stay fit.
Protect your ability to pull off everything you want to do in life.
Make sure your goals include staying in top physical and mental condition.
So there you have: 14 ways to help you if you are juggling multiple goals in your life (and most of us are).
Do your best to pare down your to do list to only the most-important tasks and coordinate your efforts around the goals that are your biggest priority at the moment.
In the end, you will worry less, stay more focused and get more accomplished.
All who have accomplished great things have had a great aim, have fixed their gaze on a goal which was high, one which sometimes seemed impossible. Orison Swett Marden
Impossible is just a word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they’ve been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It’s an opinion. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing. Muhammad Ali
By recording your dreams and goals on paper, you set in motion the process of becoming the person you most want to be. Put your future in good hands – your own. Mark Victor Hansen
If you want to be happy, set a goal that commands your thoughts, liberates your energy and inspires your hopes. Andrew Carnegie
A person should set his goals as early as he can and devote all his energy and talent to getting there. With enough effort, he may achieve it. Or he may find something that is even more rewarding. But in the end, no matter what the outcome, he will know he has been alive. Walt Disney
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