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Linking Purpose to Everyday
Behaviors
How do you know what's the best use of your time right now?
Link your daily behavior to your purpose.
You'll make better choices and see the value in seemingly insignificant
or trivial tasks. It keeps you focused on doing what needs to be done
to get what you say you want.
It's one thing to say what you want, to choose projects that will get
you what you want, and set goals that will achieve those projects. But,
you still have to do the work. You still have to pay the price by just
doing it.
Linking your purpose to your daily behaviors underlines the
responsibility and the discipline you need to complete your projects.
Having an overall objective and doing what needs to be done gets
priority. You can make your choices about what you are doing
consciously, knowing that every little bit helps.
For example, one of your projects in support of your purpose of an
independent self-sustaining life may be getting a newer, more reliable
car.
Choosing to bring your lunch rather than spending eight dollars at the
café every day is obviously the right choice. By doing the math, you
quickly see you'll save about $150 a month on lunch. Putting that money
aside will get you your new car that much faster.
It's the little things done consistently and persistently that make the
huge difference in achieving our projects, whatever our projects are.
Even with exercise and fitness. New medical research has shown shorter
periods of exercise done more often are more effective than longer
periods of exercise done less frequently. Even if the longer exercise
sessions add up to more overall time, they still aren't as effective.
Build in momentum sustainers. If you're like most people you start out
a new project enthusiastically, and then lose track of it in the bustle
of all your other obligations.
By building in appointments with people to check in with, and
appointments with yourself for review, you force yourself to be
accountable. You might want to set up weekly goals for yourself, or
make an agreement to accomplish specific tasks by your next check in
date.
Additional techniques for linking daily behaviors and long term
projects include:
- Remind yourself what to do to support your purpose. Put up reminder notes around your house to keep your purpose front and center.
- Figure out how long specific tasks take so you won't skip out by telling yourself it takes too long, or you don't have the energy. At one point I decided I would get more serious about housework, especially doing the dishes. I had told myself it was too big a hassle to fiddle with before I went to bed. I was embarrassed to discover cleaning up the dishes actually took five to seven minutes.
- Use lost, or fiddle time, to punch a hole in a bigger project. I no longer leave dishes in the living room, at my desk or next to the bed. I take them into the kitchen when I am going, rather than waiting to make it a task to be done.
- Build in an artificial deadline and put yourself on a schedule. Play a game with yourself, and even reward yourself, for being a good kid when you've done one of those necessary but not fun little jobs.
- Give yourself credit for what you have done and the hassles and work it was to accomplish it. I live in a wonderful town. When I tell people where I live, their reaction is usually "You're so lucky to get to live there." Luck had nothing to do with it. It's part of a project I have in giving myself the life style I want.
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630 words
Since 1986, Patricia Wiklund, Ph.D. has helped some of America's largest, and smallest, organizations resolve expensive and troublesome people problems and conflicts by leveraging the strategic power of soft skills®. A former mental health professional, she is as comfortable on the front line, as on the shop floor, or in the corporate executive suite, and also works effectively in government and educational settings. Call her today at 415 641-5997, or email her at pat@patwiklund.com to discuss how she can help you put your people and organizations back on track.
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Copyright © 2005 Patricia Wiklund, Ph.D. All rights reserved.