Fall Balance: How Do I Make Progress?

Welcome to Week 3 of the Fall Balance Series, designed to bring you more work-life balance in 30-60 days. 

Last week we asked "What does a '10' Look Like in each area of your life?" This week...

How do make progress towards that "10?"

Today I get to share with you my secret for making great strides in my life. Are you ready?

I have a weekly planning process.

Boom. 

I know...lightning bolts didn't go off. "Stacie - that's your big secret?" Yes! That is the secret.

It's so simple. Yet so often we set these big goals then tuck them away somewhere. We still let life take over. There are all these little emergencies, fires to put out. We let things take over versus being deliberate with how we use our time. Before you know it the week has slipped by you yet again. You still haven't made the progress you want.

Today's message is simple: Create a ritual around your weekly planning process.

Put it on your calendar. What time works for you? Friday afternoon? Saturday morning? Sunday evening? Whatever works for you get it on your calendar and then make a ritual of it.

I find it helpful to keep all this stuff in one place. I'm partial to the Law of Attraction Planner. (I'm not affiliated with them in any way.) I love the format with a space for a vision board, long range and sort term goals, monthly and weekly planning...and a monthly summary and wheel of life to fill out.  

What does a weekly planning ritual consist of?

Take time to connect with what a "10" looks like for you in each area of your life. What is important to you and what do you want most in life? 

There is one week of the month when I spend a little more time on my weekly planning process. That's when the months are changing over. Whatever weekend that falls in, I pull out the wheel of life, I score myself and shade it in. I look for what sticks out at me. What are my current goals? What do I want to accomplish in the next 30/60/90 days? I set some milestones. The milestones keep me on track for the "10," the ultimate in that category. Then I write my action plan. I write it down at the beginning of the month. This session takes a little more time than the other weeks. On average I spend an hour on this.

The rest of the weeks are quick and easy. I spend on average 30 minutes planning on those weeks. I review what I wrote at the beginning of the month. I look at what's been done. I celebrate those successes. Then I ask "what's next?" I chunk it down and make it simple. "If I could only put 1 or 2 things on my calendar this week for this area, what would they be?" I look for what I have going on that can't move (doctor's appointments, picking Elli up from school, etc.)  I look for open blocks of time and schedule the things I want to do this week.

That's it! Then I just consult my calendar every day.

This automates the entire process of achieving!

If you haven't already, please set some time aside for monthly and weekly planning. Make it a ritual. Shift the time if you have to. Otherwise, it is sacred time. 

Maybe you have a special planner you like, a place you like to sit, or cool pens you like to use. Make it fun. Make it something you look forward to doing. Remember to celebrate your wins so far.

Commit to this!

If I try to keep this all in my head...it's a disaster waiting to happen Can you relate? So get it all on  paper. It brings a sense of calm. It brings a sense of balance because I'm not stressed about how I'm going to fit it all in. I already know how! I'm making deliberate choices about how i'm going to use my time, WHAT I'm going to fit it. Then I know what to say "no" to, the things that don't help get me where I want to go. I give priority to those people, causes and things I have decided matter to me.

Next week is for those of you who say "I don't have time!"

This is part 3 of 5 in the Fall Balance Series. If you want to get the whole series at an accelerated pace and not miss an episode... GREAT! Do it HERE.