How To Hold Yourself Accountable | Developing an action plan
We are all guilty of making a list of goals with all the ambition in the world the night before. Then we tell ourselves “5 more minutes” after the third snooze the next morning because rest is important after all.
What you should know is that you are not alone in this. Many of us have the tendency to give in to laziness and excuses.
There are many reasons why motivation and good intentions fade:
- The pressure of deadlines doesn’t affect you
- It’s unclear what you need to do to get the results you want
- You may not even know what you want
- There may be so many things you want to accomplish that you don’t even know where to start
The possibilities are endless. One thing is for sure, however: Whatever you decide to think on and whatever you decide to act on, will have consequences. Therefore, you need to take responsibility for the decisions you make.
So, what do we do to change this? Well, first of all, congratulations! If you have noticed and are keen to address the need for improvement, you have already achieved the very first step to making the change come true.
As for the next stage, here are some ways to ensure you stay accountable to yourself:
Start being brutally honest with yourself.
Put together a checklist for yourself, much like creating an inventory, but on the subject of yourself. Ask yourself what you’re struggling with. What are the things you always seem to overlook, things you know you have to do but never seem to get done? What other areas could you improve? List all of them down as the areas that you need to deal with on priority.
Avoid looking at faults negatively.
The attitude with which we approach an issue is an indication of how we see ourselves. Self-sabotaging will only further delay the completion of a task. A positive mindset motivates us to see more solutions than problems in every aspect of life.
Prioritise your tasks.
There may be days when everything will seem urgent and immediate. To avoid attacking tasks at the last minute and manifesting confusion, make a clear and concise list of tasks in order of priority. This allows you to focus on one task at a time and gives way for clear thinking.
Set time limits.
Every action plan needs an action plan of its own. If you are someone who gets easily distracted, the best way to tackle a task would be to set a time limit to accomplish it, even if it is done in parts. Strictly dedicate this time only to the completion of the task and nothing else. Taking dedicated breaks in between can help encourage and re-energize the mind and body.
Celebrate the small wins.
Rewarding yourself is a critical part of growing out of procrastination and avoidance. It not only motivates us but also allows us to assess our progress and what’s next.
Review yourself.
Much like what managers do in organizations, check in with yourself at regular intervals to evaluate your performance. Each time, allocate a new set of SMART(Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant & Time-based) goals. Review your progress to see if you have met these goals. If not, review what went wrong and what can you do to fix it going forward.
All of the tasks above may seem exhausting and overwhelming. At the end of the day, no matter how many motivational articles, self-help books, or informative articles you read, you have to get the job done. While there are times when things are out of your control, how you react to those circumstances and how you decide to approach any situation that is within your control is entirely up to you.
Make small changes to start with & make every small change a habit, rather than a short-term goal.
Our team at Tattvamassi wishes you all the best in this endeavor. We hope our few suggestions help you achieve your goals. Reach out to us for more guidance or schedule a 1-on-1 with our coach at www.tattvamassi.com
