I Did It!

My to-do list is getting smaller.

I like to cross things off my list of things that I need to, have to, should finish up, and this morning, I can cross off the biggest task that I had in front of me. That makes me feel so wonderful!

This is one of the reasons that I use a planner to organize my things to do and things done. I can see when I've made progress on a project or task, and I can also see what I need to do next. This visual representation is the way I can organize my self and my progress best. For some reason, electronic tracking systems are not good for me. I need paper and pens to keep track of what I am doing.

It is time for a goal check. This is something that I do every so often to keep myself on track for things that I want to do and for things that I have done. My most immediate goal for today - that of finishing a project for my business - is finished for this month, but it is not over. This is an on-going type of project. Now that this month's contribution is finished, it is time to start planning for next month's product.

Most of my current goals are like that - they never really end, I just finish components of them while I am starting up again.

At the start of a new year, it always seems apt to evaluate goals and see how they are working out. Most people recommend that you make 30-60-90 day goals to keep yourself going, but that has never really been a practice that I can sustain. I'm not sure why this model doesn't seem to work out for me, but it doesn't. I don't know if it is because I write things down and forget about them or if I change my priorities during that time period or what, but I don't find that type of organization effective to get me to do things.

What is working for me these days is a format that I came up with similar to the ideas that I've been reading about in a "How to manage projects" book that I downloaded on my Kindle. 

This is it. This is the entire format - or, at least, how it all starts. These dots are the big steps that have to happen for me to get a project done. I use one of my little bitty pens to write in the different steps, and then I put lines in for all the tasks that have to happen in each of the steps. I have one for each of the things that I do on a regular basis - for example, I have one for my sing about songs mini packets that I release every month. I know that I have to decide on the TMEs to include, I have to write those TMEs, I have to design visual aids to go along, I have to save in pdf format, and the list goes on and on. As I finish each step, I cross off that step in a bright color to indicate that it is done. When all of the tasks linked to a particular dot get crossed off, I know that step is finished, so I color in the dot.

Silly little routine, isn't it? But it helps me finish things more than writing down 30-60-90 day goals. For me, it is more important to find what works than it is to do things the way others do them. My mantra is to always try to work smarter, not harder!

So, my goals this time around are to continue producing products for you, fellow music therapist! This is my ultimate goal - to make the website a place where you can find information about and for you in your place as a music therapist. I am trying to figure out what I enjoy doing and what I can offer others, and then I want to do those things. That's my goal. To make my life's work something that I can share with others...with you. That goal will never be completely finished, and I like that.

I am going to spend a bit of time getting my next set of tasks organized. I will print out my typical project trackers, paste them into my project book, and get started on planning what comes next. It is time to move to the next part of my goal - getting more to you.

What are your goals for this year?