Rate the tasks in order of importance — #1 being most urgent, etc.

If you have set daily priorities, at the end of every day you should have done something toward reaching your goals. These small steps will eventually lead to larger accomplishments.

Acting on priorities:

Review your to do list and start the day with top priority jobs and stick to them. Visualize yourself completing the task and get started. Picture the rewards you’ll get and make sure those rewards are meaningful to you. Whenever your motivation lags, use this visualization method to get revved up again.

Do the most important tasks first. Your daily priorities should help you toward reaching your long-term goals. Spend time on tasks with the greatest potential payoff.

On your daily priority list include items from the long-term list that will move you toward your goals. Take some action toward your top long-range priorities each day.

Delegate lower priority jobs, if you can. If you have to do them yourself, take a 5 or 10 minute break for them. Don’t work on them for longer than the short break. Schedule another short break for them later.

On your daily priority list include items from the long-term list that will move you toward your goals. Take some action toward your top long-range priorities each day.

Delegate lower priority jobs, if you can. If you have to do them yourself, take a 5 or 10 minute break for them. Don’t work on them for longer than the short break. Schedule another short break for them later.

Here is an example of a long-range goal and an action plan/strategy and to do list/priority list to accomplish it:

1. Set goal: Get a new job in the animation industry.
2. Stategy/plan includes making five new contacts per week, attending two networking meetings per month, reviewing and updating resume, portfolio and demo reel, and submitting marketing materials to at least five employers per week.
3. To do list: Review and update resume. Make new demo reel. Draw animals at the zoo. Attend life drawing class to beef up portfolio. Ask friends to help review marketing materials. Ask friends for job leads.

Review Your Budget
Pay attention not only to what you are spending your money on, but, more importantly, what you spend your time on. Avoid distractions like television, email, Internet and video games. These all can consume your day in no time.

If you haven’t been paying attention to what you are spending your money on, start now. Know what your financial needs are and start saving a little each month.

Review goals and priorities regularly to ensure that you are using every day to reach your objectives. Life is full of change and what’s important to you today may not be vital in the future. Be flexible and re-evaluate regularly to be sure that your life is on track with where you want to be and where you want to go.

If you don’t have enough time to do a large task, realize that all big accomplishments were done one small step at a time. The first step is the hardest. Begin the journey today.

Resource: Managing Your Priorities from Start to Success by William Bond. New York, New York: McGraw-Hill Trade, 1996. 150 pages. ISBN: 0786303875 (US$16.95).

Pamela Kleibrink Thompson is a career coach and recruiter who plans on setting some long-range goals that will help her make the most of 2003.