4 tips for setting longterm goals for yourself

Here we are in the last week of 2011. Nancy and I started this blog as a way to document our struggles and successes with getting organized. Since we're both small business owners it's a never-ending battle to stay on top of the mountain of tasks that surround us. So here we are and we've both only made one post in the last 5 months. Clearly scheduling Scheduled Living into our respective days has not been a priority. Saying we were going to start a blog was a bit more than we thought it would be and so nothing got done.

I'm not that into new years resolutions but I am all about setting goals for the New Year. Achievable, recordable, progressive goals. One of those goals is going to be to blog here on Scheduled Living at least once a week for 2012. I think that's definitely something I can achieve. I will be able build the blog in stages rather than all at once, and stages towards a goal work way better for me!

What about you? What kinds of goals are you thinking about setting for yourself? Is it something at work, a career advancement like finally updating your design portfolio? Or maybe it's to walk your dogs 4 days a week, that would be good for them and you. Or maybe it's home related and you want to institute family meal plans for each week, why can't your teen cook on Thursday nights? Think longterm, think useful, think achievable. Reachable.

What makes good goals? Here are the things I keep in mind when setting longterm goals for myself.

1. Choose something that can be achieved in stages. Choosing your goal is the most important part, make sure you're in it for the long haul. Choose a goal that you can build on, not one that you can check off in an afternoon. How about something you'll use to better yourself in the future. A goal that you will be proud of at the end of the year. Example: I'd like to learn every tool on the Photoshop palette.

2. Make a plan. Set up a schedule for yourself to achieve this new goal. Can you spare one hour a week? If you can, that will total up to 52 hours of progress at the end of the year! That's more than a whole work week of your new goal that you added to your life! Example: Every Thursday afternoon I will do a Photoshop tutorial and then practice with that tool for 1 hour.

3. Track your progress. Be sure to put your plan on your calendar because you'll remember to work on it and you'll be able to check it off each week. Example: By the end of June I've learned 27 new Photoshop actions!

4. Reward yourself! Get out of your office and get a latte or give yourself a little present at the end of each month. By rewarding yourself you're reinforcing your actions in a positive and memorable way.

So what do you think? What are going to be your goals for 2012? As for me, I'll see you here each week! Good luck!

Meet Nancy

Hi, I'm Nancy. I'll admit, Heather is younger and looks amazing in hats...(ok, she's pretty, too)! I spent my growing up years using paper, pen, and a clunky typewriter. I've adapted to using a computer, ipad, and iphone daily (and love all of them). However, when it comes to keeping my schedule and to do list, paper and pen seems to be what I need. I've tried using more than a few electronic planners, but the info doesn't stick in my head the way it does when I write it down.


Now, that brings me to my next issue. I love planners and organizers. I love looking at the layouts, the way they are organized, the types of paper they use, and thinking about how they will fit into my life. Here are the planners purchased for this year alone...

My pile of 2011 daily planners

A little more about me...I'm a completely creative type. I love knitting, crafting, creating...and even though I'm not neat by nature, I need my surroundings organized to stay sane. I'm a wife, mom, and owner of NobleKnits and Designer Yarn Sale. I've also written several books on knitting and crocheting: The Chicks with Sticks Guide to Knitting, The Chicks with Sticks Guide to Crochet, and Crochet for Tots. I like to juggle a lot of things and feel my happiest when I have a lot going on, but struggle to find the best way to keep it all organized. My sister and I spend hours (yes, hours!) each week talking about our schedules and the best way to attack our "to do" lists to reach our goals. Join the discussion here on Scheduled Living as we ponder the best ways to approach every day. How do you schedule your life?

My dog, overwhelmed by my stack of 2011 planners.

Meet Heather

Hi! I'm Heather and the younger, prettier girl. haha! I joke but I do think age has a factor here on our organization blog because I am much more drawn to computer aided planning systems than paper planners these days. So that's what you'll hear about from me. I've tried a variety of apps and paid services and I can't wait to share their pluses and minuses with you here on Scheduled Living.

I'm a graphic designer through and through so I'm completely committed to a clean, organized page. Obsessively so. I hate fussy type or confusing layouts more than anything. But I can't say the same about my life. As you can see from the photo above after I move off the computer everything else gets a little crazy. I'm a busy girl with two businesses and lots of life. Between Heather Ink, my graphic design firm, and Ewe Ewe Yarns, my knitting yarn and pattern company, I have a lot to do. I run the gamut from managing clients and tracking hours to taking sales and shipping product. I manage marketing for me and a few other small businesses so there's a lot to keep track of around here! I'm always looking for better ways to streamline my efforts and make me as efficient as possible and I'm going to start sharing my journey with you here on Scheduled Living. Let's make us all more efficient!