time management Archives : Living Success

Make the Most of Your Time with Goal Setting

Goal setting is a word that some don’t even want to hear. It’s a time that many dread and as a result do not even pursue. You may have tried setting goals and because you didn’t reach the goal you don’t think goals are worth pursuing. On the other hand, you think it’s time wasted and that you should just let life happen. But really, if God has plans for you you should make it your business to know what they are, pursue them and trust Him to help you see them become a reality in your life.

Goal setting time

“Look carefully then how you walk! Live purposefully and worthily and accurately, not as the unwise and witless, but as wise (sensible, intelligent people), Making the very most of the time [buying up each opportunity], because the days are evil. Therefore do not be vague and thoughtless and foolish, but understanding and firmly grasping what the will of the Lord is.” Ephesians 5:15-17 (AMP)

Goal setting does not have to be a difficult process. It can be a rewarding and yet fun time in your life. As the word of God says, there is a time for everything under the sun and yes, that includes setting goals. Consider this as a time for planting – your vision, your dream, your destiny, your purpose – where you lay out what you want to be and to do. And remember that this time of planting will become a time of reaping or harvesting once you (with the Lord) have worked towards to goal to attain the prize!

Life planning and goal setting in a time to look forward to and a time to access if you have and to make sure that you make the most of the time God has given you on this side of heaven. Goal setting is a time of:

REFLECTION
This is a time to look at the past and the present to prepare for the future. This is not a time to be negative but use this to learn from your mistakes and from the setbacks you experienced. Also make note of the what your did achieve and started to do as well as the positive things that happened in your life.

Ask yourself a few important questions:
– Where am I today?
– How and what did I do to get here?
– What made this year great or not so great?
Make sure to reflect on each of these life areas: Spiritual, Family, Financial, Health (Physical), Intellectual / Personal Development, Social, Career development, Business development. This will help you to understand why you are where you are and help you continue the work to become who you want to be and do what you desire to do.

THANKSGIVING
Oftentimes you can live with regret, frustration or disappointment because you didn’t achieve what you wanted to. However, this is not the place for you to remain. Even if you “cry over the spilled milk” don’t keep crying. Get up, clean up the mess and move on.

Learn to be thankful for what you have and what you do not yet have. Be thankful in all things at all times (1 Thess. 5:18, AMP). Thank God want did work and for what small steps you made towards your goals. Have a heart of gratitude because no matter how bad things look there is some goodness in your life and that goodness came from your Father God.

Write a love letter to God – a note of appreciation. Don’t know how to start? Start with, “Dear God thank you for…” and make a list of all His goodness in your life. Or maybe you can start by worshiping Him just because He is God and then thanking Him for all the goodness has brought into your life. Think of yourself, your family, your friends. Thank Him for life, love, good health, safety and protection, provision and whatever else you recognize as God’s handiwork in your life. But for sure, His done you good, so be thankful.

CREATIVITY
Goal setting is a time to dream. In my goal setting workbook, I have a space for dreaming, there are at least three options you can use to start your dreaming process:
1. My Dream List – is a blank sheet or a mind map type sheet – you choose the either list in short form what your life looks like in the next year or two or beyond or you use the mind map page with cloud thoughts to express your heart and God’s heart for you.
2. My Vision Board – for those who are more visually inclined, you can collect images (from the web or from books or magazines) and create a collage of your dreams.
3. My Life Story – you can write in present tense what you life looks like several years from now. You choose the time and place you want to start seeing your dream become a reality and just write that vision.

This is a time to be imaginative, to let go of your doubts or fears and not limit yourself. It’s a not the time to think that God is limited in anyway. It’s a time to remove all the stops and road blocks from your mind. It’s a time to let your spirit soar, your heart smile as you gaze into your future of infinite possibilities God has planned for you (Jer. 29:11, AMP).

Goal setting is creative planning. As a Christian you plan your life according to God’s plan for you. This will require spending time in prayer to understand God’s heart for you.

PRAYER
Goal setting is a time of asking, seeking and knocking. However, depending on the size of your goal; you may need to fast, weep, vow or wrestle in prayer. In some case yours prayer regarding a specific goal may be turned to praise even though you haven’t seen the actual goal as yet. Nevertheless, goal setting requires time in prayer.

You may need to ask God, “Lord what do you want me to do in this coming year or the next 2, 3, 5, 10, 20, 30 or 40 years?” or “Lord, what is your Word to me for this year?”
Seeking the Lord is a time or season of drawing closer to Him and He coming closer to you also. It’s a time to connect with Him to know His heart and His plans for you which are totally good.

This time will also require you to knock on the doors of heaven and on the heart of your Heavenly Father. Why? To accomplish whatever goals God has placed on your heart you will need open doors. In other words, you will need God to supernaturally give your favor with others, create opportunities for you in whatever area you need it most, mend relationships and establish new much needed ones. You will need God to miraculously make things happen that normally would be difficult for you to accomplish on your own. Knocking prayer is needed when your goal is FAITH-filled goals that requires much of God’s intervention at every step as you press towards your prize.

As you can see, for the Christian goal setting can bring you closer to the Father. One thing I must also mention is that when you set you goals you must apply the Word of God to them and create a prayer strategy for each of them. (I will write about this in more detail in another post.)

As you set your goals for the coming year and years ahead, remember that you are working with God to carry out His purpose in your life and to see His kingdom come here in the earth (within your sphere of influence and beyond).

Now is your time! Go ahead, set those goals and see what God is able to do through you and for you.

Make the most of your time with the 2016 Living Success Goals Workbook and Planner. As an added bonus this year, a full year planner is included for your convenience. Wishing you experience the best year ahead!

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Simplify Your Life: Clear Your Mind

2 Comments / Simplify Your Life

Then the Lord answered me, “Write the vision. Make it clear on tablets so that anyone can read it quickly. (Hab.: 2:2, GW)

I love writing (I guess that might be obvious by now). I always have a notebook and pen or my blackberry which I make full use to write notes, reminders and ideas. But we often overlook writing as a practice that can bring simplicity to our lives. Our minds can become cluttered and over-loaded with many details. If we don’t release all the to-dos, the dreams, the visions on paper, we begin to see the smallest tasks as big problems. Even in our thoughts we need to keep it simple.

Image credit: inspirestock / 123RF Stock Photo

For example, the thought about this series came to me while reviewing my emails. At first, my intention was to jot down a few points and to get back to it later. However as I started to write, I had to clear my mind and write everything I wanted to say. Whenever I get an idea or remember something I need to do but the time isn’t right, I have to write. Usually at night this would happen to me. I think I write and develop ideas better at night (that’s an Ah Ha moment there for me)! If I do not write out what came to mind, I become restless. Sometimes, I’d be reluctantly get out my bed and do (usually write) what I needed to before I could go to sleep.

So, we don’t just write when it comes to setting our goals or making life plans but writing is useful for keep any area of your life simple. For example, you can write a home to-do list, have an idea book for projects you want to do in the future, or plan your vacation. My Mum always says that when you make notes you have something to refer to and what you have to do won’t be easily forgotten. Here are some writing habits you can develop.

Simple Life Habits	For Everyday Success
Write down your goals – short term, medium term, long term and life-time.	Gives clarity and definition to your life.
Regularly review your plans – daily do something that pertains to your overall plans	Keeps you focused on your goals and helps you to keep moving forward.
Always take a notebook and pen with you. If you have a smart phone, use it well – write notes, set appointments or reminders of tasks you have to do.	Clears your mind of the small details so you can think and work through important tasks.
Keep a journal – a prayer journal, a gratitude journal, a just-expressing-thoughts journal, a what-I-did-today journal	A great way to express yourself, appreciate God and relax your mind.
Express your thoughts and cares to the Lord and ask Him for wisdom.	Peace of mind is certain when you place God in the midst of your life. You will make good life decisions and not be stressed.

Apart from these tips on writing to help simplify your life, remember this: Do what you have to do when you have to do it. This would help you avoid rehashing things over and over in your mind and remove overwhelming feelings.

Do you write your thoughts down? Do you keep a notebook, a journal or have any kind of writing habit that has helped you to keep life simple? Share your thoughts.

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Simplify Your Life: Manage Your Time

Simplify Your Life, Success Keys

So far in this series, we have discussed areas where we can develop a few simple life habits that will improve our lifestyle and keep it uncomplicated. Today, we continue by reviewing some simple time management practices.

So teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:12, NKJV)

Image credit: iqoncept / 123RF Stock Photo

Time is our most precious resource. Today matters for the today and when today is gone is it lost forever. As such time is highly valued but sometimes in an effort to maximize our time we get too busy.

However busyness does not mean productivity nor does being productive mean your life must be hectic. Simply put, being productive involves knowing what to do and doing it. It requires knowing how to make the best use of your time.

How is your life right now – hectic or productive? Whatever your answer, check your life and consider what you can drop from your schedule.

Learn to say ‘No’ at times and mean it. You can’t be involved in every church activity or social event. You may even need to say ‘No’ to a personal project you’ve been doing. It may not be the right fit now.

While you may opt of a few activities, you may need to say ‘Yes’ to yourself. Give yourself some personal time for self-care, recreation or relaxation. Say ‘Yes’ to rejuvenating yourself so you can be more effective in fulfilling your purpose.

Consider some of these time management habits:

Simple Life Habits	For Everyday Success
Plan your day. Write down 4-7 things you want to accomplish the next day. However, leave room for contingencies.	You will gain clarify since you know what to do. You’ll be a more focused and driven person.
Speak success over your day. Tell God your plans and ask Him to bless your day.	You will experience favor wherever you go. Even when challenges arise, you will be confident and be able to overcome them.
Acknowledge that time is a priceless commodity that is spent even if you don’t use it wisely.	You will value your time and that of others. You will treasure moments with family and friends.
Give yourself 24 hours before commitment to anything new.	This will help you to avoid over committing yourself.
Evaluate your day. Did you accomplish what you planned? Did you slack off or did you have to deal with the unexpected?	You may not always check off everything on your list but the benefit is that you remain focused and can recoup the next day.

Set aside some time to determine if your use of time correspond with your goals. One way you can track your time is to keep a journal. Record the time for each of your activities at work, at home, at church, on the road, etc. After a week or two evaluate how much time is spent on what matters most to you. With this information in hand you can then re-arrange your schedule to align with your goals.

Share what you have learnt about yourself while tracking your time and how you will improve your time management.

Until next time,

Keep life simple.

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