Today is my scheduled catch up day for the month. I take a look at the goal to-do list I made at the beginning of the month, see what is in process and take steps to finish it all up before the official last day of June. It’s a two step process that includes clean up and celebration that I allow for every month. Since I have implemented it, I have achieved more, so I thought I would share it with you.

Step 1 is Cleaning Up The Loose Ends.

Loose ends can include pending email responses, technical updates, follow up phone calls, cleaning up my desk, filing, etc. It’s any bits and pieces of almost done projects and activities that are dangling. I find that this gives me a very good sense of what I still can reasonably accomplish and helps me to feel more relaxed once it’s done.

The other part of Step 1, though, is just as important. It’s time to make my confession to my self about what I am not going to realistically finish, including projects I never started. If you’re like me, sometimes you overschedule or over expect. You set up big goals that are just too much. And, surprise, surprise, you don’t get it done. That’s actually pretty understandable.

But, it’s important to acknowledge the unfinished parts of your to-do list. If you know why you didn’t get it done, admit it. Be willing to put fewer to-do items on your list for the next month. There is no shame in not getting an overly ambitious list completed. You didn’t break the law, you know! But make adjustments. Forgive yourself for not doing it and refresh. You will get more done if you pull back a little. You can always add more to your list if you have left over time, but not being able to check off something that you told yourself you’d do can be discouraging. Quit doing that to yourself.

Part 2 is Celebrating Your Victories

You are required to celebrate what you did get done. Dance around, respect your efforts, buy yourself some flowers, shout yoohoo! What did you learn? How did you improve? Who did you network with that can help your future? What system did you put in place? What steps did you take to be a success? Even if the result of these actions aren’t evident yet, celebrate that you took the steps. Steps are what lead to results.

You are not allowed to make next month’s to-do list until you celebrate your accomplishments. Sure it feels silly to cheer for yourself alone in your home office. Who cares? Do it anyway. It will raise your personal vibration, flood your brain with endorphins, and put a smile on your face. That’s the state of mind you need to be in to create your next set of goals. A winning state of mind.

Try this approach and let me know how it works for you. I bet it will!

Together, we are stronger.
Vicki Flaugher, the original SmartWoman

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