Getting started on your long-term goals

Most of us start our day with a ‘to do’ list of work and personal items that need attention. While we may have long term goals for our health, finances and growth, very often these don’t get the attention they need when we don’t have enough hours in the day to get to them.

It’s easy to focus on small tasks that need to be completed and lose sight of our long-term goals. But what steps can you take to prioritize the bigger goals that help your future self?

• Break down your long-term goals into smaller tasks
  We like to be able to tick off the tasks on our to do lists and feel like we are being productive. Work through what actions you need to tackle to achieve your long-term goals and add these to your weekly to do list. You will feel that you have made progress and motivate yourself.
• Don’t wait for inspiration before you tackle your goals
  It’s tempting to wait until we feel ‘inspired’ before we tackle our long – term goals. But when we get around to tackling the task, the relief we feel is worth it.
  If you set aside time to tackle the task you have not got around to doing yet, you are likely to have a greater sense of accomplishment.
• Use your time wisely
  We all have different times of the day when we are our most productive. For many people, it’s first thing in the morning.
  Its recommended that you start your day with harder tasks and leave the easier ones for later in the day.
• Use your calendar to help you prioritize your goals
  Instead of filling your calendar with meetings and time to do small task, think about whether you can schedule time to work on your bigger, long -term goals. This way, you have set time aside to tackle these goals.

When our short-term and long-term goals fit in with each other, this tends to lead to greater happiness and fulfillment.

The information in this communication is for information purposes and is not intended to be detailed advice described in the Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act. The fund, administrator and trustees cannot be held liable for damage or loss suffered as a result of any action that you take based on the contents of this communication.