Traditionally, at the close of each New Year we begin thinking about our goals. We take time to evaluate our past achievements, where we currently are in our careers, and where we want to be. When those bells ring at midnight on New Year’s Eve, we enter into a brand new year, a fresh start, with the mindset of being able to accomplish anything and everything. Fast forward a few weeks and reality sets in, life gets in the way and the goals we have set become nothing more than footnotes in our mind, pushed to the side, with the hopes of “getting to them later”.
If this is something you have firsthand experience with, don’t be embarrassed. You are not alone, in fact 25% of us will give up on the goals we set for ourselves within the first week of making them and 60% of us will set those exact same goals the very next year. With it being three weeks into 2016 and business in full swing, a lot of us are probably rethinking our goals. Before you set them aside though, let us help you out.
In last week’s post, S.M.A.R.T. Goal Setting Tips for Court Reporters, we discussed an easy way to create realistic goals using the S.M.A.R.T. (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, timely) goal setting method. This week we are going to give you 6 practical tips on how you can stick to those goals and follow through with them until the end. So without further ado, here they are.
Tip 1 – Turn to your colleagues for support and encouragement. Choose a few friends you trust and let them know what you are trying to accomplish. Ask them to check in on you over time. In addition, join a public group. There are many active court reporter users groups on Facebook. The members of these groups are very supportive or each other and are a good source to turn to when you might be struggling. There is nothing like having your own personal cheerleading squad to keep you motivated and to hold you accountable, especially when your professional backgrounds are similar.
Tip 2 – Prioritize your goals. As a court reporter your work doesn’t stop when you walk out of a job. Often times you go home to work on the piles and piles of transcripts that need to be edited; the last thing you want to do it is work towards your goals. When you have several goals, it is important to prioritize the ones you want to achieve the most. By directing your attention to the goals that are most important, you can avoid the feeling of being overwhelmed and look forward to working harder towards them even when your plate is full.
Tip 3 – Make a daily check list. Most court reporters, especially freelance court reporters, don’t have a set schedule. Because of this it is hard to plan out your week ahead of time. The best way to combat this is to create a daily check list. Before you go to bed each night take a few minutes and write down everything you want and need to accomplish for the next day. No matter how busy your schedule is make sure you include time to work on your goals. Whether your schedule allows for a few hours or just fifteen minutes a day, any forward progress you make towards reaching your goals are immensely significant.
Tip 4 – Remove superfluous distractions. The worst thing that can get in the way of you reaching your goals are unnecessary distractions. Get rid of them! Well, at least get rid of them during the time you set aside to work on your goals. Social media, Candy Crush or other casual games, and the internet in general are time hogs. You can tell yourself you are going to spend ten minutes checking your Facebook page but two hours later you are still browsing around. That is two hours you could have spent studying for your realtime exam or practicing on improving your speed. When you decide to spend time working on your goals, go into a quiet room, unplug yourself from the world and get working. You will be surprised at just how much you can get done when you are focused.
Tip 5 – Keep your eye on the prize. Stick to your guns and don’t give up; persistence is key. Keeping your eye on the prize and constantly thinking about the final results will help motivate you. When you feel like the path you have taken is impossible, rethink things. Never give up. There is always another path to take and more than one way to get things done.
Tip 6 – And finally, REWARD YOURSELF. You don’t have to wait until the end of the road to reward yourself for reaching your goal. Celebrate and reward yourself for each milestone you cross. Has your untranslated rate dropped? Has your realtime speed increased? Take the time and do something nice for yourself. Go get a massage, buy a new outfit, or even go out to a nice dinner; whatever you do make sure it is something that will make you feel good and drive you to the next level of your goal.
Sticking to your goals is not always going to be easy. The ebb and flow of life will constantly get in the way, but by infusing the six steps above into the overall process, you will see positive results. No matter what you are committing yourself to in 2016 or what goals you have set, creating new habits using these tips will allow you to reach the finish line.