The thing about life is it never stops moving and you’ve probably seen firsthand just how quickly life can happen so it’s important to learn How to Live Life on Your Schedule.
One day you’re graduating college, and the next you’re moving your children into their own college dorms.
Life is constantly in flux. And while that can be a blessing, it makes it difficult to focus on what you really want.
Chances are, you have goals and certain expectations for your life.
It’s imperative you don’t let the circumstances of everyday living keep you from reaching your potential.
In this article, we list five ways you can navigate life on your own schedule:
Table of Contents
Figure Out Your Goals
What do you want out of life?
This is an important question to ask yourself sooner rather than later.
When you think about your future, what comes to mind?
Do you see yourself owning your own company?
Do you want to go back to school for nursing?
Do you want to be a stay-at-home parent?
Before you start planning, figure out what you want so you can create a realistic plan that suits your goals.
You might start brainstorming your goals by making some lists or even drawing a mind map of everything you want to achieve.
If you’re an Excel fan, create a small spreadsheet of everything you want to achieve and a projected timeline.
However you like to plan, committing to your goals in writing can help make them feel real to you.
Establish Your Priorities and See Them Through
Once you have your goals in mind, prioritize them.
Let’s say one of your goals is to own your own company.
Another goal of yours might be to start a family.
To ensure you achieve both those goals, focus on one at a time.
For instance, it might make more sense to prioritize building your business first.
And then, once it’s built and you’re more financially stable, you might switch your priority to starting a family.
You don’t want to merely set your priorities; you want to follow through on them.
Circling back to the example above, maybe you want to establish your business before starting a family.
You can take action to ensure that happens.
Whether that’s practicing safe sex with a condom or using prescription birth control, you can plan when you want to have children.
Then you can make time for your other high-priority goals.
The same is true if you have another goal, like going back to school or working toward a promotion.
Make sure you adopt good study habits, attend your classes, and do your best to get the grades you need to succeed once you graduate.
If you’re ramping up at work by going for that big raise, focus on what you need to do to get there.
Maybe that means studying for a certification or finishing a big project.
Don’t Be Afraid to Say No
The best way to make sure you’re living your own life is to learn how to say no.
So many people end up agreeing to things simply because they’re afraid to say no.
They don’t want to disappoint their friends, family, or employers.
Unfortunately, the more you agree to things you don’t want to do, the more time you waste living someone else’s life.
The truth is, saying no isn’t easy.
But the more you say it, the easier it’ll get and you will find that you will relive stress.
Plus you’ll have more time to focus on your priorities.
Once you learn how to decline what you don’t want to do, you’ll have time for what matters to you.
Stick to Your Plan
Many of us wake up and immediately start the day.
We move on autopilot until it’s time to go to bed, and then we do it all over again.
Instead of just going through the motions, take time every morning to reset and focus.
Remember your goals, and make sure your daily tasks help you achieve them.
Then once you have your daily tasks noted, make sure you complete them.
According to research, about 92% of people don’t achieve their goals.
It’s almost too easy to set a plan for yourself then give up when you’re tired or burned out.
There are many reasons why people struggle to make their goals a reality.
One reason is an unwillingness to push through and complete a task.
It takes practice.
You have to fully commit to your plan every single day.
That’s why it’s important to make sure your plan is realistic.
Don’t bite off more than you can chew on a given day.
Sure, you might want to conquer the world but there are only a certain number of hours in a day.
Don’t Forget Self-Care
Self-care isn’t just taking long showers or scheduling yearly massages.
It’s about spending time nurturing yourself.
In order to achieve your goals, you have to be confident in your own abilities.
You have to trust yourself.
But the thing is, many of us aren’t born with this kind of confidence.
Most of us constantly doubt ourselves and our ability to achieve our goals.
We don’t think we’re good enough or even capable enough.
The only way to change that outlook is through self-care.
By taking the time to do things you enjoy and showing yourself appreciation, you’ll learn more about who you are.
Keep in mind, self-care differs based on the person.
Your friend might want to spend quality time with their family.
For you, self-care might be going on a solo vacation.
It’s about doing things that give you energy and make you feel good about yourself.
This is the only life you get.
Make sure you’re doing everything you can to achieve the goals you’ve set for yourself.
By prioritizing your life and being intentional with your time, you’ll have learned How to Live Life on Your Schedule.
