Better Organization for a Better Life

Do you procrastinate? Are you wandering through life without goals? Do you want to change?

In order to get organized you must want to be organized. Then you need to find a system that works for you and your family. We will feature ideas that will help you to get organized, manage your time and reach you goals.

The first thing you must do is set goals. A simple system that works for all ages is to set SMART goals:
Specific - Measurable - Achievable - Realistic - Time-Based.

Here is an example:

"My goal is to save $250 a month during 2007 to take a family road trip to Colorado in 2008."

This goal is specific, realistic, measurable and time-based. At the end of every month, you should have $250 more dollars in an account than you did before. Do this twelve months in a row, and you'll have $3,000 to go wherever you want.

Your goals should address several aspects of your life: Physical, financial, spiritual, family, friends and educational. You must write goals down to be successful. Very few people do this. It's one reason very few people reach their goals.

1. Treat your money with care and attention.
Develop a budget. Know where your money is coming from and where it is going. If you're not happy with how much money you are bringing in, look for new sources of revenue. If you do not like where your money is going, stop spending it there.

2. Work to develop better money skills.
Money is only a tool to get us where we want to go. It is not a true measure of success or failure.
Write down your financial goals for 2007. Look at short term and long term goals. Be sure to plan some fun activities.

3. Follow the SMART guidelines and choose three goals to accomplish this year.
Be purposeful, be disciplined, make up your mind that you are going to accomplish these goals no matter what happens.

4. Remember that money is useful but it cannot buy happiness.
Do not blame your unhappiness on a lack of money. Money may make life easier, but it will not make you happy.