Out of Chaos an organizing newsletter
Trees & Forest
As I mentioned in Out of Chaos no. 34, I’m not big on resolutions. This year, I urged you to concentrate on tiny changes instead. Still, the beginning of the year is a great time to spend a few minutes envisioning the future. But first, you might want to look back.
I know you probably didn’t manage to get every little thing crossed off your to-do list before the ball dropped last week, but instead of worrying about how to get caught up, spend a few minutes contemplating what you did accomplish in 2015.
Maybe you got a new job, or finished a big renovation. Perhaps your child got into high school or college or you finally dropped that ten pounds that’s been dogging you and got a good exercise regimen going. Or maybe you were just happy and enjoying your family or friends. It’s a rare year that passes where we haven’t accomplished anything.
So as you start off this year, maybe you want to make two lists: the every-day, call-the-doctor-finish-the-report to-do list and another, call it the Big Goals for 2016 list. Some of my clients are great at getting through the little stuff, but have a hard time getting traction on the big stuff; others are great at the big stuff but constantly feel under siege because they let the little stuff slide.
One thing I like to do is to look at my Big Goals list and see what simple task I can put on my to-do list that will help me move towards one of those big goals. Even the biggest goals are realized by taking many small steps. Approach it like a landscape painter: Lean back and get some perspective, and then focus in and paint that tiny, tiny leaf.
Forget about resolutions, and just work your way through your every-day list, but keep referring back to that Big Goals list (sometimes it feels like that game of pat your head, rub your belly), and who knows, 2016 could turn out to be your most productive year ever!