Simple Ways You Can Conquer Accountability
Accountability is crucial to your professional and psychological health. Many entrepreneurs and business people struggle more than necessary to reach their goals.
Keeping track of time and dragging your job to the last minute is tough. Our hopes and ambitions are incomplete in the long run because we need more time to work on them. Putting your plans on hold induces procrastination.
People can have a talented mind brimming with brilliant ideas, yet they need to figure out where to start. And there is only one way to know if you are taking the road to success. And the only way to start your journey is to start holding yourself accountable.
Accountability is the best way to keep yourself motivated and focused on your goals. Consistent and steady progress is the key to reaching your goals. Remember, one small excuse leads to another, and we succumb to failure and disappointment. Your goals do not have to die here.
Here are four ways to master accountability and reach your goals on time!
1. Commit to Time Management
Making sure you divide your time efficiently on each project is fundamental to reaching your dreams. It helps to restore and maintain balance in your life. You must schedule your upcoming week or month. The idea of time management is to make sure that you work on one project at a time and not pressure yourself into working day in and day out. While time management is the ultimate goal here, this should not come at the cost of your mental well-being. Time management accelerates your productivity and focus and helps you track how and where you spend your time.
As we have already mentioned, keeping your mental stability in check is important. So the next thing you have to do in time management is to track how much time you spend eating, chatting with family, and all other things you deem petty. Scheduling small things will help you reach an accurate level of accountability. Your time is your most precious investment so make sure you do that wisely!
2. Start from Achieving Small Goals
You are already working on your big dream. You have the time and the potential to fulfill it. What could go wrong? You may feel overburdened and overwhelmed at this point. Whether you are looking forward to a cash paying job or starting a new business, taking baby steps is better than a leap that could end in a disaster. Taking small steps towards your goal will ensure you are on time and stay fresh and motivated.
One way to work on this approach is to break your goal into small steps and work on each. Try dividing bigger tasks into smaller units and tracking the progress of each in your schedule. Keep doing it until your project is broken down into easily achievable micro-goals, and remember to treat yourself after each achievement!
3. Celebrate your Achievements!
Celebrating each little win is as important as working on it. Take out time from your busy schedule to acknowledge your effort. No matter how small your achievement is, celebrating each win builds a healthy momentum and ensures consistent focus. Additionally, the "I can do this" mentality will give you a boost of confidence that you might occasionally experience as you work on your goal.
The celebration does not have to be as fancy as throwing a party, but something as simple as a meaningful gesture will do the job. Even receiving your first paystub counts as the successful completion of your goal. Develop the habit of writing down your weekly success report. Set up a board describing your success journey to see how far you have come and how much is left to do. You can also put up a list and jot down bullet points, just like a bucket list.
Checking these boxes after completing each goal will help you stay in touch with your enthusiasm. You can also share your achievements on social media if you post them.
4. Know the Worth of your Dream
Simply put, you need to question why this goal is important to you. Is it worth spending your valuable time, hard-earned money, and effort? If you still need to, then you should reconsider your goal before you are left with disappointing results. If yes, it will clear your mind and help you understand your motivation. The sense of constant accountability will develop a positive mindset and reinforce your goal's significance. Remember the 'why?' when educating yourself on your strategies.
Make conscious attempts to set an objective and keep revisiting your dream to remind yourself why this goal is important to you. You can connect and follow the professional figures you aspire to be. Their success and valuable career tips will help you identify why you must keep striving toward your goal and what steps can be taken at each level. You can also read business articles for useful tips to follow through.
Last but not least, look for any loopholes and areas that need improvement. It is quite common that many things may go unnoticeable at the start and those little things pile up to form a bigger default eventually. Next question you need to ask yourself is does your journey feel productive? Are you satisfied with what you have achieved? The more motivated and positive you feel for your goal, the easier it is to help yourself accountable.