Goal Setting in the Digital Age

We characterize the Digital Age as a shift from traditional industrialization to information technology. It began as early as the late 20th century but is thriving today.

 

It's wise to leverage all available resources in the Digital Age to increase your chances of transforming your aspirations into achievements. By following these three tips, you can effectively set and accomplish your goals in our perpetually connected world, where digital tools offer unparalleled benefits.

 

1. Put Apps to Work

 

Goals and habit-tracking apps (such as Habitica, DONE, Strides, Way of Life, GoalsOnTrack, ClickUp) offer a convenient way to stay motivated. With features like reminders that prompt you when you've been inactive for a while and the ability to break down daunting goals into smaller, more achievable mini-goals, they put you in control of your journey towards success.

 

These apps help you do the work necessary to achieve your goals. They will walk you through a process for developing goals important to your core values and beliefs.

 

2. Search Social Media

 

Consider the social media platforms you frequent. Have you ever explored topics or groups related to your interests? Extend this practice to words and phrases associated with your goals. This approach not only fosters connections with like-minded individuals but also serves as a powerful motivator in your goal pursuit. 

 

Building relationships with others who share your goals is crucial. There will be days, even weeks or months, when staying motivated is a challenge. But with a supportive community of like-minded individuals, you'll always have someone to inspire you and keep you on track.

 

3. Schedule Reminders on Digital Calendars

 

In our fast-paced world, losing sight of our priorities is easy. But with digital online calendar apps, you can stay on top of your goals. They sync across all your devices and are perfect for setting reminders, ensuring you take action daily and progress steadily toward your goals. 

 

According to Nutshell, a customer relationship management (CRM) company, here are a few of the top calendar apps.

 

·      Google Calendar

·      Microsoft Outlook Calendar

·      Apple Calendar

·      iCloud Calendar

·      Calendar.com

·      Any.do

·      Monday Work Management

 

Put technology to work for you. Use these valuable resources to keep your goals front and center. They could mean the difference between having wonderful wishes that never see the light of day and turning your dreams into realities.

 

How Apps Revolutionized Goal Setting

The Internet changed the world. Suddenly, instant access and connectivity to knowledge around the world was possible. Smartphones have brought the power of personal computers, laptops, and internet connectivity into our pockets. 

 

The rise of smartphones has given birth to a plethora of applications, each designed to cater to our unique needs and interests. These apps, adaptable to both mobile phones and tablets, can be downloaded and used even without an internet connection. This adaptability ensures that there's a perfect app out there for everyone, making goal-setting more accessible and convenient than ever before.

 

Goal-setting apps have been instrumental in helping individuals achieve their goals. These apps provide structure, reminders, and progress tracking to keep you accountable and motivated throughout your journey.

 

With the majority of us carrying our smartphones at all times, the power to set and pursue our goals is just a few taps away. This convenience puts you in the driver's seat, empowering you to take control of your aspirations with ease.

 

Repeated Conscious Actions Become Unconscious Habits

 

The subconscious part of your incredible mind influences 90% to 95% of your experience. Your conscience handles the rest. As you can see, your conscious brain is not nearly as capable as your subconscious.

 

So, when your subconscious notices you consciously repeating a process or action, it takes control. It tells your conscience, "I've got this. I will put this on autopilot so you can spend your limited abilities elsewhere."

 

How can you use this natural, programmable feature of your mind to help you achieve your goals? Here's a step-by-step guide: 

• Step 1: Download one of the following six apps to the home screen of your mobile phone or tablet: Habitica, DONE, Strides, Way of Life, GoalsOnTrack, ClickUp.

• Step 2: Set a schedule and consciously access the app simultaneously each day.

• Step 3: Use the app's features to track your progress.

• Step 4: Over time, this will become an unconscious habit that will lead you to success.

 

ClickUp has a wonderful feature that some other goal-setting apps don't. It lets you set your goals and then break them down into smaller, achievable targets that are easier to track. Strides has an easy-to-use interface and offers daily reminders to take action, progress reports, and other nice features. 

 

GoalsOnTrack is available for desktop PCs and mobile devices. It's great for breaking large, ambitious goals into smaller steps. It works on the SMART goal framework, which means that goals should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. This framework ensures that you have clear and realistic goals and a specific completion timeline, increasing your chances of success.

 

Habitica turns goals into a game. Your goals become quests, presenting productivity-crushing bad habits as monsters to be defeated. Way of Life helps you create individualized daily habits and provides graphs to track your progress over weeks, months, and years.

 

If you're still striving to achieve your dreams, it's time to harness the power of technology. By consciously using a goal-setting app every day, you're not just setting goals-you're paving the way for a transformative subconscious habit that propels you towards your desired success. This potential for transformation should fill you with hope and optimism.

 

Idea Tracking Tools

Got another great idea? Time to capture it and make it work for you. A notepad an pen is a great idea if you've just woken and don't have time to open up an electronic device, but if you want to really process ideas, there are a number of software apps that can help. 

Here's a few that range in both price and complexity: 

 

Evernote 

 

Evernote has both free and paid plans. There is little difference between them except for upload limits. The app is available on Windows and MAC and on smartphones. It allows users to clip articles for future reading, save images and PDFs and organize them into different notebooks and tag them according to how they might search for them. 

 

Evernote is hugely popular with people who work online, and writers, because you can build it as big as you want and everything is cross referenced. 

 

Wunderlist 

 

Wunderlist is what it says - a list. Sounds a bit dull, but this list can have tasks, subtasks and shared lists that make sharing your to-do list a snap. Y might also want to add a due date and have a pop up and/or an email to remind you of your due date for that task. 

Wunderlist's efficiency is a direct result of its simplicity. 

 

Trello 

 

This is more of a team app - suitable for business teams who work remotely and need to coordinate tasks between themselves to complete a project. It's a much more intensive tool than Evernote or Wunderlist, but it makes it easy to see at a glance where ideas are being worked on and who is working on them. 

 

Thinking Rock 

 

This is a piece of software from an Australian company who have taken David Allen's Getting Things Done idea and turned it into an idea capture and processing workflow. The software is free and open source - available from Sourceforge.net. 

 

Notes 

 

It's on every iPhone and iPad by default. What most people don't know is that you can connect the two via iCloud and add check boxes so that notes and lists created on one can be seen by the other. It's a simple, easy to use app that's with you on your phone whenever you want. 

 

Whiteboard 

 

No, it's not a digital app, but if you place a simple whiteboard in your office, you can jump up from your chair and actually write on it! Yes, some people are easily amused, but the act of physically writing ideas can make them stick a lot more than typing them out. Just ask any copywriter who has handwritten hundreds of copies of classic sales letters to assimilate their principles. 

 

Which method works best for you will vary according to your needs, and you may even find it more productive to use a mix of idea capture apps. 

Lifelong Learning: Fueling Your Personal And Professional Growth

Life is about growth, and one aspect of both personal and professional growth is learning and it's a lifelong journey. This lifelong learning journey is necessary to unlock the growth you're looking to achieve in life, whether your focus is on your personal self or your professional self.

 

Lifelong learning delivers the ability to adapt and innovate, to create and thrive. Here, we focus on exploring just how significant lifelong learning is and how it impacts your development. 

 

Adaptability

 

If you want to adapt to this world, and you should because it's constantly changing, then lifelong learning is going to assist you in that endeavor. As every industry and structure rapidly evolves, you are better equipped to deal with it if you are constantly learning and improving your knowledge. You can embrace new skills, understand other points of view, and disseminate information, which makes you more relevant to the rapidly shifting industry or for other potential opportunities. 

 

Challenge Assumptions

 

Lifelong learning truly expands your horizons and when you expose yourself to new perspectives, cultures, and a range of diverse subjects, you are equipped to challenge assumptions and develop your intellectual curiosity beyond what most imagine. That sets you up nicely to develop yourself personally and professionally. 

 

Problem-Solving

 

Learning takes time and as a process, it requires you to deploy problem-solving skills and critical thinking. If you learn for a lifetime, you learn how to better analyze situations and view those situations from different perspectives. This gives you the tools you need to come up with creative solutions to a host of problems. It's an invaluable skill both professionally and personally. 

 

Development and Growth 

 

It's important to understand that learning is not confined to a formal setting, you don't need to be going to classes to learn. Lifelong learning encompasses creative pursuits, new hobbies, researching areas of interest, and any other activities that contribute to a well-rounded, more fulfilled life. Development goes far beyond "official" skills or "certified" talents. 

 

Advancement 

 

Professionally speaking, constant learning is a great way to advance. It turns you into an attractive, flexible prospect who has valuable transferrable skills. As every industry evolves, leaders will look to those who have worked on developing new skills and knowledge regularly. You turn yourself into a must-have asset and you're poised to adapt if the market changes or you need to pursue a different path. 

 

Mindset 

 

Lifelong learning also helps you develop a growth mindset, which will serve you well in an ever-evolving world, whether you want to climb the ladder in your current industry or recognize that it's time for a change. Or, whether you would like to pursue personal endeavors with more enthusiasm and recognize that you have some skill gaps – your mindset matters and a growth mindset can make all the difference. 

 

Technology & Networking

 

The digital world has made accessing information easier than ever, so you can use technology to your advantage in your journey to be a lifelong learner. You can seek out webinars, online courses, free eBooks, podcasts, and even blogs that cater to your specific interests or professional objectives. 

 

Those are also excellent opportunities for networking with like-minded people, and you shouldn't underestimate the power of those connections you make, whether you link online or off.

 

Examples Of Avenues Towards Lifelong Learning

 

• Traditional Education Institutions - Colleges, universities, and vocational schools.

• Online Courses 

• Personal Development Retreats: Participating in personal development retreats or workshops focused on topics like mindfulness, leadership, or personal growth can provide transformative learning experiences in a supportive environment.

• Explore Self-Help Avenues

• Community Education Programs

• Professional Development Workshops

• Conferences and Symposia

• Podcasts and Audiobooks

• Reading books on topics you have not been exposed to before

• Therapy – delve into and learn about yourself

• TED Talks and TED-Ed

• Self-Study and Research

• Language Learning Apps: Apps like Duolingo, Rosetta Stone, and Babbel 

• Online Forums and Communities

• Peer Learning Groups

• Volunteering and Internships

• Outdoor and Experiential Education - Participating in outdoor activities, such as hiking, camping, or gardening, can provide opportunities for experiential learning and personal growth.

• Exploring creative outlets like painting, writing, photography, or music allows you to express yourself while developing new skills and techniques.

• Cultural Immersion and Travel

• Online Learning Communities

• Continuing Education Programs

• Mentorship and Coaching: Seeking mentorship or coaching from experienced professionals in your field can provide valuable guidance, feedback, and support as you pursue your learning goals.

 

Final Thoughts

 

Learning is more than just a habit, it's a lifelong tradition and it's one that will empower you to think beyond yourself – it will force you to constantly evolve, adopt, and thrive no matter what life throws at you. It's a journey of constant learning that takes you further than you ever imagined and gives you a much deeper understanding of yourself, people, and the world. 

 

When you embrace lifelong learning, you position yourself in the role of a forever student, but that means you're constantly growing and finding new ways to contribute to your personal and professional life. 

 

How To Stay Connected in a Remote Work World

When working remotely, it is important to ensure that you stay connected to the rest of the world. 

 

You have to find creative ways to engage with coworkers or friends and family despite not being around them in person. Additionally, reaching out and connecting to others can be good for your mental health. Keep reading for helpful ways to stay connected in a remote work world.

 

Communication is Key

 

When it comes to the remote work world, communication can be the key to ensuring that you stay connected to others in your workplace. If you think about it, when you are working in the office, you can typically walk down the hall or look over your cubicle to ask another coworker a question or engage in conversation. When you are at home, you do not have the same luxury.

 

Working remotely does not mean all communication is cut off or limited to time in virtual meetings. It just means that it has to be done differently. Here are a few apps that can help you stay connected to your coworkers through communication.

 

·      Slack

·      Microsoft Teams

·      Skype

·      Whatsapp

·      Google Hangouts

·      Google Calendar

·      Zoom

 

Be Creative

 

One of the biggest challenges when working remotely is that some of the creativity you once had in the office can seem to dissipate when you are more isolated. Because you are likely at home, you tend to take fewer breaks, have lunch at your desk, and spend less time finding ways to be creative.

 

It is important to ensure that creativity does not take a backseat to isolation in the remote work landscape. Here are some great ways to keep the creativity and fun of the office environment remotely.

 

·      Question of the Day (emails, Slack, or other communication tools)

·      Monthly Company Challenges

·      Theme Days (share on communication tool)

·      Group Chats

 

Collaboration 

 

In many cases, if you were working in person, you would be collaborating with a coworker or many coworkers to complete a specific task. This does not have to end just because you cannot meet in person as you did before.

 

Using tools like Trello, Click-up, Slack, and Zoom can be a way you can continue to collaborate with your team. These apps are also a good way to manage your project in real-time so others can also do their part in the task. 

 

Here are some ways that you can collaborate using these tools.

 

·      Use Trello to enter and move the project along to the next person

·      Set up a Slack channel to communicate with team members

·      Have a weekly Zoom call to make sure everyone is on the same page

·      Appoint a leader of the group to keep track of the various tools

 

Remember that just because you are working remotely, it does not mean you should cut off all communication with other people. It is more important than ever to ensure that you stay connected to other people to avoid feeling completely disconnected and lonely.

 

Finding Balance: Juggling Work, Life, And Self-Care

The more technology we have, the easier life is supposed to be – but somehow, the world just gets faster-paced and everything feels much more frantic than it did before. You're trying to kill it in your career while looking after friendships, romance, and maybe even children, but what about self-care? It feels like you're constantly juggling and if you take your eye off any of the balls for even a second, one drops to the ground. 

 

Your career demands your attention. 

 

Your family and friends need you just as much as you need them. 

 

And what about self-care? 

 

Believe it or not, you can have them all if you simply find the right balance… and you can find the tips you need to do that below. 

 

Boundaries and Priorities 

 

Step one in your journey to finding balance is establishing boundaries based on your priorities. That might mean you need to sit down and establish your priorities if you haven't already. That means understanding your core values and getting to grips with what matters most in your personal and professional life. 

 

Once that's settled, you can establish boundaries that will protect your energy and time. Just be ready to communicate your boundaries clearly and be firm when saying no. 

 

Think about your boundaries around technology, too – do you pick up emails even when you're off the clock? Do you feel the need to reply to every message instantly? Think about your relationship with the internet and social media. 

 

Organization and Time Management

 

Organization and time management work in tandem and once you crack this code, you will find it much easier to find balance. Use a calendar or diary, utilize to-do lists, and structure your day to break down your responsibilities and when you will tackle each. 

 

By breaking down every task into manageable moments, you avoid the risk of multitasking, reduce stress, improve productivity, and give yourself time for everything. 

 

Delegate

 

Something that many people struggle with is letting go of control. Let's be clear about this – you can delegate! At work and at home, you can assign appropriate tasks and responsibilities to family members and employees or colleagues. The key to finding balance is sharing the load, so learn to let go. 

 

Take Breaks Intentionally 

 

Part of finding balance and practicing self-care is taking regular breaks, which means you might need to schedule them when you sit down with your calendar and to-do list. So, schedule a take-five, go for a brief walk, sit down for a quiet meditation session, or just chill out with a glass of water or hot tea. A break should not be viewed as a luxury, it's a necessity to improve productivity and performance. 

 

Say No 

 

There's no point in establishing boundaries if you don't learn to say no! 

 

You should be able to say no to things that don't fit or feel right without feeling guilty about it. Everyone has limits, and if saying yes means pushing yourself beyond yours, you need to say no. Whether it's coffee with a friend on your busiest day of the calendar month or picking up an extra project at work when things are hectic at home. There will be times you can say yes to those things, but if you can't say yes now, don't!

 

Lean On Your Support

 

Everyone needs human connections and having a strong support system when you're dealing with life's obstacles and challenges is key. So, be sure that you are surrounded by people who respect you, understand your goals, and build you up. These people should be willing to go 50/50 in sharing responsibilities and happy to pick up the slack from time to time when it's necessary. 

 

Final Thoughts 

 

It might feel like an impossible task, but with a bit of intention, you can strike a balance between work, life, and self-care. It might be difficult at the start, but once you establish your boundaries and learn to stick to them, the rest will come with time and practice. When you do find the balance, you will start to see everything in your life improve.