Time: The Disease of Procrastination

I began taking public transportation to work last month, after having semi-relocated. Prior to this transition, I spent many hours processing the upcoming changes and what they meant for my life. Earlier mornings, longer days, extended commute, more interaction with strangers and less time at home. This ultimately boiled down to one thing - I would have less time to procrastinate. Less. Time. To. Procrastinate. A more productive life was one positive thing out of all the changes I had been preparing myself to accept. For several years, I've been saying that a more productive life is what desired. And the thought made me excited but as soon as I'd become excited, I'd remember - earlier mornings, longer days, extended commute, more interaction with strangers and less time at home. =)

I've always praised myself on having been so productive when I was a student. I maintained a decent GPA while working full-time and taking care of my other responsibilities. I even managed to have something resembling a social life. I made things happen and I got things done. Efficient and effective. But once I graduated, I began putting things off. And the time I spent procrastinating multiplied exponentially.

It's been years since I was a student. Years since my life was a finely tuned time efficiency machine. And just so we're clear, I procrastinated as a student as well, however, the time I spent doing so was far less. 

And while some things will take a lot longer to get used to than others, I'm excited with the challenge. I'm excited to see how much my productivity will rise. I look forward to tracking my progress in attaining certain goals that I've been putting off. 

So, if you're like me and need a reason to buckle down and get productive, I challenge you to find that reason. Together, we can take back control of our lives (as much as any one person can take control of their life). And whatever we do, let's remember to be bold, beautiful, encouraging, uplifting, empowering, present living, future focused, productive, efficient, effective and well. 

Love & Peace

Niki B.

Setting Goals

I've always been goal-oriented. Partly because of my upbringing, though, most importantly because I believe that progress is still progress no matter how slow it moves. Therefore, whenever I set goals for myself, I focus on the S.M.A.R.T. goals model. Being able to set S.M.A.R.T. goals has really helped me achieve previous successes. The model encourages that the goals we set should be:

• Specific
• Measurable
• Achievable
• Realistic
• Time-targeted

For example, when I went back to school, I had already identified the degree I wanted to earn. I knew the time period in which I wanted to earn it, the resources and steps required to make it happen and ultimately the purpose I wanted it to serve. Each course that I completed served as a milestone on the road to achieving that goal. After all milestones had been reached, I had earned my degree.

The people closest to me know that I work very hard to achieve the goals I set for myself. So much so that I often forget to celebrate the milestones I achieve, prior to continuing on my journey to achieve the next goal. And I often find that without doing so, I reach burnout much sooner. A good friend of mine encourages me to reflect on my accomplishments. He reminds me to celebrate myself and not by way of being boastful, but simply to look back on how far I've come.

When setting goals in life, I challenge you to set S.M.A.R.T. goals. No matter how long it takes to achieve them, remember that you are still making progress if you are moving forward. And on your journey to attaining your goals, don't forget to take the time to reflect on your progress. It is definitely possible to work on multiple goals at the same time and often this is the reality of moving forward. Many times, I find myself modifying my goals, whether it's to change the priority of the goal or to simply to adjust the timetable; don't be afraid to modify your own goals when needed. Lastly, when setting your goals, don't forget to be bold, focused, encouraged, motivated and well!

Love & Peace

Niki B.