Productivity

Why bother with goals

If you don’t design your own life plan, chances are you’ll fall into someone else’s plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much. – Jim Rohn

My last post was about challenges and this one is about goals: can you tell I need a bit of structure and direction? I think we all do. I’ve been able to accomplish a lot in a small amount of time (working 3 jobs + blogging + planning my wedding), but I’m really no different than anyone else. If I didn’t set goals, I would probably spend my weekends playing Skyrim.

Don't be afraid to change your goals now and then photo: Vinni123

Why you should bother with goals

I know exactly what you’re thinking: “But Skyrim is a total blast!” That’s true, but there are some great reasons to set goals that go beyond beating Skyrim.

You’ll feel good about yourself. There’s no better feeling than reaching an important goal. Victory is yours! Not only that, but having goals gives you a sense of direction and hope for the future.

You’ll gain momentum. I find that the more often I complete important tasks or goals, the more likely I am to complete another one soon. I start to gain momentum and become more productive every day.

You’ll be laser focused. It’s one thing to think you want to start a blog. It becomes something when you start making a list of smalls goals that will get you there. As you start setting those initial goals, an entire blog plan will emerge in your mind.

Setting the right goals

You need to set goals. More specifically, you need to set the right goals. The most famous goal-setting method is called SMART, which stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Timely, Evaluate, Revaluate. I can’t remember all that, so here’s my ÉLAN method for setting goals:

Make sure it’s something you can do (in not too much time) and make sure you know when it’s done.

Your goals don’t all have to be immediately attainable (I’m all about doing the impossible), but it’s a good idea to focus on attainable goals, too. You need to have some successes to build momentum. Then, you can start doing the impossible.

The most important aspect of any goal is its measurability. You have to be be able to know when you’ve completed your goal. A common goal is fluency in a second language. How do you know when you’re fluent? Is it when you can translate War and Peace into that language? Or is it when you can hold a 15-minute conversation without getting stuck? Those are drastically different, yet entirely valid, definitions of fluency. Define a specific goal that you can measure.

Finally, if your goal is making you unhappy then change it. A good goal should motivate and excite you, not stress you out. As Corbett Barr points out, a goal is not a contract. It can be changed at any time to suit your needs.

What goal are you currently working on? How will you know when it’s complete?

Go check out my ever-evolving “bucket list” to see what goals I’m working on now.

How to have a more productive commute

The average time it takes an American to commute to work is 25 minutes. Wasting 25 minutes now and then isn’t too bad, but how about twice a day? If you work 5 days each week, that’s more than 200 hours lost to your commute each year.

Your commute can be a productive time photo: lgh75

Public transit is great if it’s an option in your area. There have been many fantastic articles about how to have a productive commute when you’re taking some sort of public transportation. But what if you are like 76% percent of Americans who drive alone to work everyday? Here are my suggestions for a more productive drive to work, which are derived from years of experience with my hour-long commute.

Learn a Language

You won’t become fluent from language CDs in the car, but they are a great start! And, if you’re like me, you’ll have a lot of fun trying out a new language. In the past year, I have listened to Persian, Indonesian and Arabic tapes while commuting. Many language-learning programs have an audio component, but the best courses for the car come from Pimsleur. Pimsleur courses are made up of 30-minute lessons that attempt to simulate natural conversations. They are generally audio-only, so you won’t be missing out by only “studying” in the car. Best of all, they have been around for ages and can be checked out at most libraries.

Listen to a book

Audiobooks are a fantastic and underrated resource. They are great to put on in the background when you’re doing a task that allows listening. Some audiobooks are even better than their text forms because of the reader. Right now, I’m listening to The Girl with the Dragon’s Tattoo and the reader is fantastic! Reading the book and listening to the audio version are totally different experiences. If you don’t want to put some much focus on absorbing a new book while driving, try listening to a book you have read and enjoyed in the past.

Listen to music

Who doesn’t listen to music in the car? I have a playlist planned for every possible mood. I put this on the list to stress the importance of finding the right music. Make yourself a mix that puts you in a good (and productive) mood. Bonus: If you’re learning a new language, try listening to some good foreign-language music in the car. You can find some starter suggestions on my “world music” Pinterest board here.

Catch up on the news

I have a good friend who always knows the right thing to say about current events in any situation. I asked her how she learned so much. She replied, “I listen to NPR every day!” Turns out that listening to NPR each morning on the way to work prepped her for conversations with clients, colleagues, friends and even strangers.

Record yourself

Do you do a lot of brainstorming in the car that’s lost by the time you make it to work? Try getting a small voice recorder and using it in the car. You can listen at the end of the day and make sure you didn’t miss any big breakthroughs. I’m sure you can think of other things to record, too. If you’re a writer, flesh out your plot or character descriptions during your commute.

Find favorite podcasts

There are podcasts now about every topic under the sun, filled to the brim with useful information! Find a few you like and become a regular listener. Here is a great article about finding the best podcasts.

Other suggestions

One suggestion I’ve seen repeatedly in “How to Have a Productive Commute” articles is spending time on the phone. Having a conversation with another person requires a bit too much focus for me, but maybe it’s easy for you. A lot of people also recommended mentally planning out your day, which is a fantastic idea. I think we all already do that, though!

What do you do to stay sane and be productive during your commute?