How sharing my goals in public boosts my productivity and positivity
Like many of you reading this, my working week begins with an ambitious list of all the things I want to achieve before the weekend arrives again. Monday morning is full of promise and opportunity, at least once the matcha kicks in.
Sitting with my notebook or Trello open, I decide that this will be the week I finally catch up on overdue tasks, hit all those fitness classes, meditate like Buddha… the to-do list goes on.
Then Wednesday afternoon arrives — the mid point of the working week — and I realise time is running out faster than sand through an hourglass, and I’m nowhere close to where I want to be progress-wise. Why?
The age of distraction means we need help to stay focused
We are living in the age of distraction, where everything from our mobile apps to the news sites we visit are competing for our attention. This means that it’s even harder to stay focused on the task at hand.
Ever pick up your phone to fact check something mentioned in a conversation, only to be distracted by a push notification? Or open up a new browser tab to visit a site, only to be distracted by another site… and seconds later forget why you opened the tab in the first place? My point exactly.
Working in public has helped me move forward
A few months ago I switched up my usual to-do list routine and started using Maker Goals. It was my first ever experience of sharing my activities with other people.
It made me feel exposed at first, but I wanted to see if the process would help me get more done. It did. Now it’s my new routine and weekly habit. I’m grateful to have other community members chiming in with suggestions to help me reach my goals.
Accountability partners are incredibly effective
With other people interested in my goals — making suggestions and offering advice — I feel more motivated to complete them. I have accountability partners who offer encouragement and check in to see my progress. It’s like having a team of free life coaches, offering a variety of insights and perspectives.
Even when I fail I feel encouraged to keep going
Even though using this new tool has been effective, old habits die hard. I’m still prone to distraction but in time hope to improve that.
Although I don’t always complete my goals, having a community of people working on stuff alongside me provides the encouragement and empathy I need to dust myself off and try again the next week.
Want to try out Maker Goals for yourself? Simply sign up here.
