Breaking Down Goals Into Achievable Tasks.

It hasn't been that too long since the New Year started ... so are you keeping up with your resolutions? :)
It's okay, I really don't know anyone who does, including myself. I think I've been getting closer to my goals a lot faster than normal, though, upon my sudden interets in the GTD meme. The reason why my goals have been getting more attainable?

I break them down into the tiniest tasks. I'll provide an example of one of my biggest goals: transferring to GA Tech.

It's daunting, especially for a math-phobic liek myself but I want to attend there for architecture and they have the best program around.

But getting into GA Tech, I imagine, is no easy feat. How do I go from where I am now to transferring to a school like that?

I break it into the smallest tasks possible-- and by smallest, I means tasks you can do perhaps in the next week or even tomorrow.

I write mine in the standard outline format:

I. Get accepted to GA Tech
A. Research the field--I have to make SURE architecture will be worth all of this, first off. This is the only reason why I'd attend the school. (They don't have many majors I want to grab. ;x)

• 1. Go onto websites, such as the ones Kevin provided, and list down every pro/con. Compare to other fields of interest.
• 2. Visit architecture firms; Jon said he could possibly help with this. If not, I'll have to find some way to contact one ...
• 3. Find out courses I need and find out what I can branch off into if arch. isn't what I want after all.

B. Study for SAT

• 1. Review math
• i. Buy books on SAT math, look online to review.
• ii. Sheffuu~ teehee. In addition to boosting my math skills for the test, this could help him sharpen his tutoring skills; it's win-win!
• iii. Read "Up Your Score: The Underground Guide tot he SAT." LOTS of unconventional tips for the test.
• iv. Do a couple of SAT math problems everyday to keep my mind fresh.
• 2. Review english.
• i. In addition to the above, read some articles every day, AT LEAST.
• ii. Write more, whether it's for school or for this blog, etc.

C. Go that extra mile-- I am going to be realistic about my expectations; I am optimistic about getting better at math but I also have to consider the possibility that my math skills will not end up amazing. ;x However, I can also show off my academic commitment by doing more than what is required of me.

• 1. Join a group.
• i. Right now, I have 2 in mind: Circle K and UNICEF.
• 2. Establish contact with GA Tech counselors. Especially the arch. department
• i.Explore their website, try to contact them
• ii. Set up appointments, and keep in touch with them.
• 3. Scholarships
• i. Find out potential scholarships.
• ii. Map out essay topics
• iii. Outline essay.
• iv. Write essays.
• v. Submit.

That is basically what I have so far. I can do most of these probably tomorrow if I could. In fact, I want to shoot for some of these this week. By the way, I have to take a moment to pat myself on the back for my progress last week. :) I completed all of my goals with the exception of furnishing my murals Myspace and applying to 2 scholarships. However, I DID look up scholarships and scholarship resources and am ready to work on my essays this week. :)

But anyway, breaking them into very small tasks makes a big goal more approachable. As you see each task being scratched out, you get more confident and you feel more in control of your life.

Breaking Perfectionism.

"Double Your Income ... By Reading?!" by Matthew Cornell

Very interesting post ... which leads me to admit something awfully embarrassing:

I honestly have no finished a book in over a year.

Can you believe that? Over a year! Schoolwork has been piling up on me, social obligations (Well, not obligations, I love my friends~ :3 But keeping up with them does take up a chunk of time.), various concerns, and resulting slackerdom and mental fatigue has come between me and reading. The books I have been finishing are mangas (NANA, go read it!) and even then, I have trouble reading them (i.e. Deathnote).

I used to be a pretty avid reader-- a moderate fast reader, as well. Now I find myself struggling with speed-reading techniques and chastising myself for back-reading and reading too slow. it has desaturated me of a hobby I used to enjoy very much. Sure, I read blogs and articles and things like that but I really miss immersing myself in fiction. The last fiction book I've finished was Jodi Piccoult's My Sister's Keeper and even though it took me half a year ( I came back to it, off and on), it felt great to reach that final page. It was a beautiful, thought-provoking story and whether it takes two days to read it, two weeks to read it, or even (in my case) 4 months to read it, the story's splendor remained the same. I think I criticize myself too much when I'm doing something that either others (or myself) do not perceive as "efficient" or normal. Often, I feel that this is why people deny themselves from doing some things. I can't do that, because it's not professional. I can't do this, because I'm not athletic. I can't do that, because I'm not artistic. Even if I don't become a speed-reading demon, I'll still enjoy a good work on fiction.

So instead of feeling, pardon me for this, retarded for not being able to read a novel in two days anymore, I'm just going to stay at a pace where I can enjoy it and still get work done. My pace. And hye, the more I stick with it, the more efficient I WILL be at it.

And expanding on that mindset, I also want to just go ahead and try other things that I've never really allowed myself to try because of some perfectionist excuse.

1. Overcome math-phobia and become decent in it.
2. Try out tennis.
3. Try rock-climbing.
4. Bungee-swing @ Six Flags.
5. Play strategy games.
6. Get better at Halo.
7. Learn to play an instrument. ( Preferably piano, guitar, violin, or flute. )
8. Re-learn HTML and go beyond basics.
9. Take a public speaking course.
10. Approach a stranger every day.
11. Archery.
12. Fencing/swordfighting.
13. Cooking.
14. Take business courses.
15. Make a business of selling art on the side.


And of course, read more.

I've also established a little habit this week that I'm really proud of: scheduling slacker time. Right now, I am using my slacker time before I continue with my GTD list. I KNOW I will slack off during the day. I know I WILL procrastinate if I feel overloaded with things to do. So I find that it is important to schedule in slack time (Not to be mistaken as lunch time or lunch break) in addition to scheduling your daily tasks. I'm blogging, checking out Myspace, checking out blogs, thinking of what to download next ... and until that clock hits 9:50a, this time is mine. :)

Weekly Goals for Feb. 5.

After reading this article , I've decided to make up some small goals for this week:

In terms of job/money, I will:

• call Sal
• apply to @ least 2 scholarships
  
• do business card designs for Momocon
• make ad for murals
• finish Myspace for murals

Healthwise, I will:

• Wake up earlier; I'll shoot for 6:50am daily this week
• Turn off computer @ 11:30pm
• Eat decent breakfast, any combo of whole-wheat waffles, yogurt, fruit, and veggie sausages
• Eat smaller dinners
• Do yoga @ least 3X a week for @ least 10 minutes
• Pilates for 2X a week
• Strength train for @ least 2X/week
• Stay diet-conscious on weekdays
• Drink @ least one bottle/water daily
• Restrict coffee to 3X/week, at most
• Restrict soda to 2X/week
  
• Check prices on digital scales

I want to focus on taking little steps. :3 This morning, I woke up @ 6:50, did 20 mins of yoga ( I love Steve Ross. ), ate WWWaffles, oranges, and drank coffee, so I've knocked off 1/3 of my yoga and coffee goals. :3 Wish me luck with the rest!

My own lifehacks.

God, I'm such a geek. Lol. I have been going onto Lifehack.org a lot and it just hit me: why don't I list some of my own Lifehacks here?


1. Post-It notes are addicting. it's bright, it's there, it's visible. You don't have to neglect opening up a notepad or anything. I use them for numbers, reminders, to-do lists, markers, everything.
2. Time-block schedules. As oxymoronic as this is, keeping a fairly loose and flexible schedule and scheduling room for spontaneity helps a LOT. You never know if a friend will randomly call you up for lunch.
3. Wikipedia for quick, fast, basic info.
4. One binder for all my subjects. it's more travel-convenient, it takes up less space, and if I need to refer to another subject, all I need to do is flip a divider. Plus, I find that one one-inch binder is enough to efficently house all my schoolwork.
5. Almost everything in my room is stored in some manner of tupperware.
6. I use ziplock bags to semi-organize chunks of clutter in my drawers.
7. I arrnage my closet in rainbow order so that I can pick out matching outfits easily.
8. I use the $100 checkpoint to keep from spending from my savings account. (e.g. If I have $460 in my savings, I CAN dip into the account, but I cannot let my savings go under $400.)
9. I also find it to be helpful to define emergencies in the finest possible detail in regardings to dipping into savings. This way, you have definite margins. If you are in a hungry, irrational mood, you might justify dipping for food but if you set yourself concise guidelines, you are less tempted to.
10. Color-coded notes help me out, especially when it comes to math and very technical things. I also am incredibly ADD and having different colors help me stay focused. I stick to conservative colors like blue, red, and black, however.
11. I keep nearby an outline for different sort of emails, notably follow-up emails, to make sure I do not ramble off-topic and to keep it as concise as I can.
12. I turn on the lamp if I decide to hit the snooze button to wake up easier.



Lifehacks I have yet to try:


1. For difficult and complex subjects I need to memorize, I want to compose instructions that are very colorful and simple, as if I were explaining things to a child. I'm a visual learner. ^^

2. Be diet-conscious during the weekdays but be more lenient on weekends. Also, invest in a digital scale.

3. Play more Sudoku, at LEAST. Learn new things and play concentration games to sharpen my noggin.

4. Learn office yoga. :3 I'm always on the go~


I had a lot more but I forget them at the moment. ;_; Oh well ...


So, do you have any interesting lifehacks of your own? :)