First of all, I want to wish all of you a happy new year. May 2021 go better than 2020, though the bar is set quite low for that.
Second, seeing as how it is the new year, I might as well get on that yearly bandwagon and put together some resolutions for what I want to accomplish this year. I don’t like to use the word “resolutions”, however, as we tend to associate that word with what we fail to accomplish. Resolutions tend to be unrealistic, we don’t have the motivation to pursue them, or they’re just too vague and don’t describe what we really want. I prefer using the words “goal” or “project”. With a goal, I set a specific accomplishment I want to achieve during the year. It doesn’t even have to be the whole year, as long as the goal is SMART:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Achievable
- Relevant
- Time-Bound
When a goal meets these five criteria, they tend to turn into projects, especially when they are time-bound and have specific and measurable milestones to achieve along the way.
So, for my first goal of 2021, I intend to move my bullet journaling, something I’ve already done for the past couple years, from paper journals to a digital format.
How is this goal SMART?
- Specific – As I stated, I want to move my bullet journaling to a digital format.
- Measurable – I journal daily, tracking my work and personal tasks, my calendar, and my lists (collections) in my bullet journal BEFORE using any other productivity tool, such as the calendar or reminders apps on my devices.
- Achievable – I already have practice with the bullet journaling process and have even dabbled with bullet journaling from my iPad. I should have no issue moving to this method full time.
- Relevant – This benefits me because it helps me track what I want or need to do, both personally and professionally. For example, I can track the client issues and tickets I need to work on each day for work, plus I can create lists for what I want to read or any home projects I want to work on.
- Time-Bound – Since bullet journaling is a daily process, I need to work in my journal daily for the entire year.
If you are also a bullet journal aficionado, please let me know in the comments how you use your bullet journal in your life, plus any tips or tricks you want to share. I would also love to answer any questions you may have about bullet journaling. Even if you don’t use a bullet journal, please let me know what productivity tools you use to get things done.