How to Set Smart Daily Goals

Goal setting is one of the most important components of having a productive day. Setting goals can help you reach your long-term aspirations and reach your lifelong dreams. However, many people just view goal setting as a long-term only thing, when really daily goal setting or short-term goal setting is just as important of a task. Daily goals can help you be more productive and get more things done on your daily “to do” list. While daily goals may not include big milestones such as making more money or getting a promotion, they can help you to be more productive both in and outside of the office.

If you have never participated in the act of daily goal setting, then this process may seem a little mundane for you at first. However, it is important that you take the time to set these small goals every single day. It may be monotonous at first, but over time it will become a habit. Here is how to get started:

• Buy a journal or notebook that is meant solely for your goals. Don’t write anything else in it. This will help you stay focused.
• Allocate ‘goal setting’ time every morning. When you wake up, write down three to five small goals that you want to accomplish for the day. One note here: do not confuse goals with tasks. Goals are big-picture items you want to accomplish, while tasks are your roadmap. For example, your goal could be to spend some quality time with your significant other after work. The task that would get you there would be “Take my significant other to dinner.” Your list of goals should be different from your “to do” list. Make sure that these goals are written somewhere where you can see them throughout the day.
• Set a deadline for each of your goals. Be strict on when you want this goal accomplished.
• Remember, you may have repeat goals. There may be something that you are trying to reach or accomplish that you have to try again every day before you reach your final goal. That is OK. What is important is that you are writing down your daily goals and you are working towards them every day.
• When you do meet your goals, congratulate yourself, mark your goal off the list and move on to the next item.

While the process of setting these small goals may seem foreign at first, over time this goal setting initiative will truly start to impact your everyday productivity. If you want to make these goals a reality, you are going to have to constantly work on them. It is important that you take the time to make goal setting part of your daily routine. As with forming any habit, it can take a while for this act to feel natural, keep at it and you’ll grow accustomed to it. In fact, you may even grow to find setting your daily goals to be a very relaxing part of your day.

If you are not already setting daily goals for yourself, consider these tips to help you get started. The right daily goals are crucial to increasing your productivity and helping you become more successful in your work environment.