Do you have so much to do that at times you feel yourself getting overwhelmed? There’s no need to fret, because you can start using S.M.A.R.T goals in an effective manner to prepare yourself to finish tasks on time and stay organized.
Understanding S.M.A.R.T. Goals
To begin, you should know that S.M.A.R.T is an acronym. In S.M.A.R.T, the “S” is for “specific,” the “M” is for “measurable,” the “A” is for “achievable,” the “R” is for “relevant” and the “T” is for “time-bound.” The idea for S.M.A.R.T goals began when consultant George T. Doran wrote a paper titled “There’s a S.M.A.R.T. Way to Write Management’s Goals and Objectives” in 1982.
How to Use S.M.A.R.T Goals to Organize or Set Goals
You can use S.M.A.R.T goals to get yourself organized at home or at work. Begin with “S” by listing specific goals, such as who is involved and what you want to accomplish. You can imagine how useful it is to detail when a project must be finished, where the work is to be done (the garage, a home office or the supplies room in your company, for example). For large and complex goals, it would be prudent to break them down into smaller sub-tasks, so they’ll be more manageable.
For “M” (measurable), you will write down the metrics you will use to verify whether you met the particular goal. For a lengthy project, consider establishing some milestones, such as what must happen at month 2 and at month 4.
The “A” for achievable indicates that this goal is something you can definitely accomplish and should inspire you to finish the job. When considering the “R” for relevant, you’ll be making sure that what you are working toward is relevant to your home or workplace needs and not a waste of time.
And for the “T” of timebound, you will want to set a reasonable timeframe to accomplish the S.M.A.R.T. goals. If you don’t allow sufficient time, your goal will be unrealistic. Think carefully about the time constraints before you commit to meeting this type of goal. Of course, sometimes, when time is of the essence, you can still meet your goal quickly if you bring on additional help.
Work Out and Write Down Your S.M.A.R.T Goals
The key to setting up actionable S.M.A.R.T goals is to write them all out, filling in the details as you go. After you have determined the main tasks at hand and have them in a list sorted by priority, it’s time to integrate them into your daily routine.
Many people find it beneficial to apply S.M.A.R.T goals to their calendar, whether hanging on the wall or accessible through the screen of a smartphone, laptop or desktop computer. You might have an app that you can use to program reminders to finish your S.M.A.R.T goals, and by when. The to-do list that you generate shows you at a glance what needs to be done, by whom and when.
A More Manageable and Efficient Journey to Organization
S.M.A.R.T goals will make your journey to organization more efficient and manageable. You’ll feel better when you use these goals to work out what’s most important to you at home or when on the job. And after you use S.M.A.R.T. goals for a while, they should become second nature and part of your normal routine.
A Cure for Feeling Overwhelmed
Anyone who has ever gotten stuck on a project or couldn’t even really get started due to overwhelming feelings will appreciate how S.M.A.R.T goals can help. If you do feel like it’s all too much, simply refer back to the S.M.A.R.T goals you wrote down and then know that you will get all your tasks done in time.
A Smart Way to Set and Achieve Goals and Stay Organized
It should be clearer now that writing down your S.M.A.R.T goals will be an ideal way to motivate you and keep your home or office organized. Establishing your goals in a check list, or adding them to your calendar or alarm app will go a long way to keeping your eyes on the prize of a clean and well organized space in which to work or live.
