The Stay at Home Dad Blog

As Neil Armstrong disembarked from the space shuttle, he uttered these words, “One small step for man; one giant leap for mankind.”  If you remember that historic first walk on the moon’s surface, you will understand why one small step at a time is the basic tenet needed to break your goals down into measurable steps.

Mr. Armstrong didn’t just utter one day, “Well, I think I’ll walk on the moon next week.”  It took years of education; practice; knowledge, commitment and focus before he was even able to board a spacecraft, let alone walk on the moon.  The point is everyone finds it difficult to stay focused on a goal.  The topsy-turvy world of self-motivation is evident everywhere.  Lose weight; gain weight. Even the smallest goal can carry the heaviest weight.

Realistic expectations and a positive attitude, combined with small action steps can make your goals more achievable.  How? You must first know and understand your goal. Begin with one specific goal, and write it down often. It doesn’t have to be anything major; start with something simple. Use construction paper and hang it up everywhere. This is your first step to focusing on your commitment.  Then, break it down into small steps.

For example: Let’s say you want to begin a diet and exercise program. Your goal is to lose 50 pounds, and be able to run two miles a day.  It’s August; you indicate a target date of February. Write it down: 50 pounds; two miles a day; February.  Focus daily on these words.  Next, break it down into even smaller steps.  Follow a specific diet plan; and begin running 10 minutes a day.  If in the first week, you begin to see results – your confidence will build; and you will become even more motivated to continue.

Keep a journal. In one half of the book record your diet progress; in the second half of the book record the amount of running time you’ve achieved. You may not believe it, but when you write about yourself, you tend not to lie about it.  Read your journal often. Use a red pen to write your diet and exercise achievements. Even if you consume something you shouldn’t, don’t worry about it. You’re not perfect; and you don’t need that kind of pressure. Just keep going. You’re allowed a mistake every once in a while.

Finally, never give up. You’ve come so far; your confidence is growing, and you are so close to your goal – stay focused. Reward yourself every now and then.  You deserve it! Don’t think about the end result, enjoy the journey.  If Neil Armstrong can walk on the moon; you can accomplish anything you set out to do.

Share This

You’re on the way to the store. As you approach the first aisle, you reach in your coat pocket to find the shopping list. It’s not there. Scouring through your pockets yields no results.  Most of us typically make little notes or lists, and seem to misplace them. There is so much going on in our lives, the tendency to forget becomes a frequent occurrence.  To avoid this annoyance in the future, here are some tips on how writing effective to-do lists can save you time and stress.

Gather all of the scraps of paper from wherever you’ve placed them, and set them down on the kitchen table. By using either a yellow legal pad; date book; notebook; or anything large enough which cannot be misplaced, transfer everything you’ve written on the scraps of paper to any one of these notebooks or pads.  If you prefer, you can attach sticky notes inside items as well.

Separate the to-do list by category; shopping; appointments, and things to do today.

As each item is completed, cross it off. This will allow you to keep everything you need in one place; and save valuable time later on.

Place two large magnetic clipboards on your refrigerator; one for your grocery list and one for your daily tasks. As you run out of items, write it down. Transfer the list to your book the night before you go to the supermarket. On the daily task board, begin a to-do list for those projects, which need to be done around the house.  Assign tasks to family members as well by writing the task with their name next to it.

Use your daily calendar, which can be purchased as a monthly or weekly guide, for appointments and to-do lists. There is a telephone and address section at the back, which can be used for doctors, dentists, and important information which you can access immediately.

Try to get out of the habit of writing things down on bits of paper.  Once lost, you’ll be hard pressed to remember what you wrote down.  In addition, write clearly.  Sometimes we are in such a hurry we tend to use anagrams or codes.  Ensure what you record is readable, in case someone else has to check an item for you.

Writing effective to-do lists are vital tools which, when used properly, can allow you to accomplish tasks you have schedule for the day, remove the stress, and keep everything on track. Just as you have an address book, you can utilize several books to be used for family medical information, pet records, home projects, and anything else you require to keep your daily life sufficiently organized.

Share This