Reminder List

When you are planning changes in your life, it can be very easy to become overwhelmed and lose focus.

So many great ideas but where to start?

Or the reverse. You focus in on one area but then lose sight of the big picture.

Your Action Map can help and I recommend that you open and update it regularly. 

But even then, life can get in the way and we become sidetracked. 

We forget in the moment to do the things that we have decided we ought to do to be happier. We’re not avoiding doing things. There’s no psychological hangup. It’s not laziness. 

We simply forget.

So I suggest that you create a simple list of motivators, principles, actions and ways of thinking that you want to focus on in the short-term. You can make the list with pen and paper or create a document, Evernote note, Google Keep note – whatever is easiest for you to create – and more importantly quickly access.

Just keep it simple.

Then, in your calendar create a recurring event that will remind you at the beginning of each day to look at your list. [click on the image below to see how in Google Calendar. You can go further and add a notification so that you are prompted each day. Every morning I have a message on my phone.]

Your list should remind you of specific actions that you have decided upon, such as:

• creating a plan for the day
• dealing with emails before 9am
• exercise
• liaising with colleagues
• diet
• reading
• writing a journal 
• …

It should also contain your own personal principles for happiness and success, for instance:

• organize events with friends
• speak with family
• avoid confrontation with work colleagues
• go to bed earlier
• take time to reflect
• …

And you may wish to remind yourself of why these actions are principles are important – what is the ‘why’, the motivators, that are driving you?

• help others – children, parents, friends
• gain greater autonomy in your role
• achieve financial security
• personal growth

Edit your list to address your current situation. When one of your principles becomes automatic, remove it and replace it with something else. [It may be worth making a note of all removed items so that you can check in the future that you are still remembering them!]