Setting explicit goals for success and tracking progress toward them increases your chance of success. And you can get started right away because research that shows small, daily changes can be responsible for major success in many different areas of your life.
https://www.edutopia.org/article/framework-student-goal-setting
In this section we explore how we can set goals and look how small changes in daily activities give you a boost. Here are some ideas to get you started:
Visual Reminder
Science tell us that people who write down their goals they be more likely to make them true. Now if you tuck the goals away and never look at them, it is so easy to forget them. Well intentioned goals like eating healthier, meditation and learning new skills all get pushed right out the window by the daily distractions of everyday life.
What can you do when this happens to you? A goal that you can see is more powerful than a goal you wrote down on a checklist. A visual daily reminder like a personal motto can help your motivation. Like many, I use a favorite quote to act as inspiration. You might also make signs with positive messages or even single words (like “Abundance” or “Wealth”). All that really matters is that setting your sight on a goal or motto that represents what you value will invoke emotions to get you going. And if you craft an inspirational sign with your own hands, a powerful message to your subconscious will be sent every time you see it.
Small Steps
Have you ever tucked away a great idea for months or years before you do something about it? Instead of procrastinating, remind yourself to just take one small step and then another. A large project can feel overwhelming. The key is to break it into manageable steps.
“The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex, overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, then starting on the first one.” – Mark Twain
And when you do small steps, the next step magically becomes more apparent, even if you were baffled at the beginning of the project. The universe provides me with reminders of this lesson (which I haven’t conquered yet).
“A year from now you will wish you had started today.” -Karen Lamb
Read more: http://www.smallstepsbigchanges.com/43-alltime-quotes-change/#ixzz53WjeyGiz
Carving Out Space for Productivity
Perhaps you are excited about taking on a new project, but have a hard time completing your vision at home due to lack of momentum. Here’s a small tip – make a dedicated space for innovative endeavors. Why do you need a space in your home dedicated to productivity? Can’t inspiration strike at any time and place? To put it simply – inspiration is fleeting, work takes effort. A physical space is essential to extract ideas and put them into action. A dedicated area can help you get focused on your goals. Furthermore, a space meant for your best thinking can energize and allow you to enjoy the activity more.
Regardless limited time, room or budget you too can carve out a sanctum to be productive. Here are a few helpful tips about components that can make a space more effective.
Dimmable lights. According the to the Journal of Environmental Psychology, dim light promotes creativity. https://psmag.com/economics/dim-lighting-sparks-creativity-60437
Ambient noise. Ever wonder why writers retreat to coffee shops? That’s because the right amount of ambient noise can increase creativity. http://99u.com/articles/16711/turn-it-up-how-the-right-about-of-ambient-noise-increases-creativity
Lively smells. Reportedly lemon and jasmine enhances cognitive performance and cinnamon-vanilla smells and creativity seem to be linked. https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/people-places-and-things/200912/the-smell-is-right-using-scents-enhance-life
Welcome nature. Studies show that houseplants increase productivity in the office. Why wouldn’t they have the same effect in a home studio?
Mindfulness
Taking a few moments to breathe in and out each day and “be in the moment” can boost your ability to focus and solving problems. It can also help reduce stress. Mindfulness breaks added to your daily routine has many other practical benefits.
https://www.realsimple.com/health/mind-mood/emotional-health/mindfulness-activities-for-teens
Here are a few tech solutions to help.
Smiling Mind is a free mindfulness meditation app developed by psychologists and educators. The programs are designed to assist people in dealing with the pressure, stress, and challenges of daily life.
A free daily meditation practice with the world’s largest collection of free guided meditations, with over 30,000 titles.
Headspace’s mission is to improve the health and happiness of the world. Users will learn the essentials meditation and mindfulness. If you’re unemployed, you can get a free year of Headspace.
MyLife opens with a short ‘interview’ where you can indicate how you are feeling, and then based on that information, the app recommends a few different mindfulness practices that would be most supportive.
Growth Mindset
Do you have growth mindset? Do you even know what that means? Check out this video to find out.