Don't Get Derailed as February Begins
My “don’t get derailed” watchdog.
I enter each year with fresh energy and enthusiasm. I'm not a resolution-maker, but I do set goals and I create what I call my "more list." These are things that I want more of in my life during the year.
As we start February, I consider what will keep me on track? Will I be able to stay focused and succeed without getting derailed?
Last year, I put a sticky note over my desk that featured a photo of a Labrador Retriever and a word balloon. Inside the word balloon, I wrote, "Don't get derailed." That simple bit of self-advice has helped me stay more focused on achieving my goals and getting that important "more" into my life.
But that doesn't mean I still don't get derailed. If it's for an hour or even a day, it may not be a big deal. I can recover and get back on the path toward my goals. But sometimes getting sidetracked picks up a momentum of its own. It may become more difficult to find my way back.
Lately, it's helped me to note what sidetracks me so that I'm aware if I'm straying from the path. I've also started to keep a list of those strategies and tactics that either help me stay on track or get me back if I've fallen off.
It's not perfect, but I'm learning that awareness is critical, followed by intention when it comes to moving forward with what matters most in my work and my life.
What gets you sidetracked? And how do you get back on track?
When It Comes to List Making, Work With What Works For You
I’m a listmaker. I even make lists to organize my lists. I use journals, a planner, notecards, Trello, the back of envelopes, whatever’s handy. Sometimes I even text myself a list just before going to sleep so it will be in my face first thing in the morning.
The last time I visited my brother, I noticed that he’s a listmaker too. Post-It-Notes™ on the steering wheel was one of his tactics that I noticed.
But when it comes to list-making and organization, I declare Jonathan, my son, the winner. When he still lived at home, I noticed a large whiteboard on the floor in front of his room’s doorway. There’s something beautiful about putting a physically larger-than-life to-do list between yourself and where you need to go. My favorite part about his list in the photo above is the last item — “bigger whiteboard.” That’s not just planning. That’s planning ahead.
While I continue to try out new formats, patterns, setups, and configurations, for me, it all starts and ends with a list. What’s most important is that we find a system that works for us and go with it. And if that doesn’t work, get a bigger whiteboard.