How To Keep Yourself On Track For Accomplishing Your 2020 Goals

When the previous year ends and the new one begins, setting goals is a common practice for most of us.

Well, the first quarter of the year ended last week. None of us could have predicted that life would change so dramatically in late December, January, or even early February.

In fact, life was good late in 2019 when we were thinking about our goals for 2020.

We did not know that COVID-19 was going to rear its ugly head and cause us to shift our plans, rethink our priorities, and make accomplishing our goals difficult, if not impossible.

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What were your original goals? Do you remember what you set out for yourself late last year? Have you been able to work towards accomplishing those goals?

For many people, goals for the year were set aside while they worked to figure out how to survive COVID-19.

For others, working towards goals meant figuring out how to work from home and take care of their children. The daily goal may have been to get through the day with some measure of success.

Here 5 ways to keep yourself on track for accomplishing your 2020 goals.

1. Shift your priorities.

Have your priorities shifted?

Mine certainly have. This virus made me take a hard look at how I was spending my time and money.

I asked myself some challenging questions. The answers were not easy to find and involved some deep soul searching.

As a result, the goals I made prior to COVID-19 were tossed out the window, and new goals were made. This has been a blessing in disguise for me.

What about you? Have your priorities shifted as a result of this virus? Have you created new goals for the remainder of this year?

2. Create new plans.

As I found the answers to my challenging questions, I made plans to accomplish new goals. I kept in mind the things that have always been important to me and added a slightly different focus.

For me, personally, it has become even more important to have achievable benchmarks. I don't want to set my goals so high that they are next to impossible to accomplish. But I also don't want to set them too low.

My new plans include short-term goals that I am confident I will be able to accomplish, but still require me to stretch myself a little.

In this era of uncertainty, I've found that I need to have this measure of control.

3. Find things that provide comfort.

It is comforting to realize that it's just fine to take a slightly longer, less-direct route toward accomplishing goals.

Routes will not be a straight line to the top, but will involve a few stops along the way. This method allows me to evaluate my progress and make any necessary changes.

How about you? Are you finding that with so much uncertainty around us, you are gravitating toward things that provide you comfort?

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4. Get into habits and routines.

I find my daily routines and habits comforting. Every morning after breakfast, I walk my dogs — and I do mean every morning. I'm sort of like the U.S. Postal Service in that way.

It can be raining, snowing, windy, or gorgeous outside. No matter what the weather is, I am out there taking a walk with my dogs, Miles and Josie.

During this morning walk, I review my plan for the day and think about what small steps I will take toward accomplishing my goal.

When I get home, I get cleaned up before getting ready to get to work.

5. Embrace changes.

I know many families have made changes to their morning routines and habits. These probably involve setting time aside for homeschooling or arranging their work schedule to care for a toddler.

My son and daughter-in-law have done this very thing. While it is undeniably difficult and has turned their daily routines upside-down, they've also enjoyed quality time with their daughter.

I wonder what impact these changes — staying at home working and caring for children — have made on the goals they set out to accomplish in 2020?

Changes in technology have made it easier for families to stay connected, even when they are thousands of miles apart. I have a Portal from Amazon set up in my kitchen, so I also have a selection of children’s read-aloud books.

I can read a story (sometimes two or three) to my granddaughter. I love that Portal allows me to see and hear her reactions. And of course, I feel closer in-touch with the entire family.

Sometimes all these changes make me sad, like it will be impossible to accomplish my goals this year.

Time is flying by and there is no way to get everything done. Does this ever happen to you?

When I feel this way, I indulge myself with a little pity party and then I pull myself up and ask myself this question: What one small thing can I do right now, so I can make myself a little bit closer to accomplishing my goals?

Answering this question makes me feel better, and there is always something I can do. So, I schedule a time to take that step. You can, too.

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Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer, and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. Diane teaches busy people how to become organized and provides them with strategies and solutions for maintaining order in their lives. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing and in working with people affected by ADD, hoarding, and chronic disorganization.

This article was originally published at DNQ Solutions blog. Reprinted with permission from the author.