The Year of Getting It Done: 6 Month Check-In

6 months ago, I declared 2014 to be The Year of Getting It Done. My goal? To think less and do more. To take action instead of just pondering/planning/procrastinating/list-making.
So how's it going?
Keeping this goal in my mental "back pocket" has proven to be a good motivator, especially in the first few months. Early in the year I felt like I was totally kicking butt and getting 'er done - even with a newborn! As of late I'm realizing that I've started to slip back into old habits, and my to-do list now has quite a few lingering tasks. This little check-in halfway through they year has been a gentle reminder to get back on track.
What's been working well?
If a task can get done immediately, I try to do it right away. Not putting things on my to-do list is the best strategy. However, having a functional to-do list is a great tool since I can "brain dump" and get all of the little tasks out of my head which allows me to focus on more important things.
What hasn't been working?
Ignoring tasks I've made a priority, usually because I don't have all the information required to get started and quickly feel overwhelmed and unsure how to proceed. These are things that aren't life or death (obviously), but need to get done. I'll usually put a star next to them, or schedule a reminder, but I'm very good at ignoring those things if it's a task I just don't want to deal with and it's not time-sensitive.
What will you change in the next 6 months?
If a task can't get done right away, my plan is to break it down into actionable chunks instead of writing down a vague goal. Example: one lingering, not-urgent-but-needs-to-get-done task on my list for the past couple of weeks has been "Take Madewell flats in to get stretched". (Hello, #firstworldproblems.) And I keep putting it off. New strategy? Break it down. Then check it off: ( ) Look up shoe repair store hours on Yelp ( ) Put shoes in tote bag after work on Tuesday (set reminder) ( ) Drive to shoe repair store Wednesday at 3:45pm (put in calendar) This example is definitely small potatoes - but you get the idea. By putting in the effort in advance to create actionable steps, the mental barriers have been removed and I'm making it easier to avoid excuses and GET IT DONE. Plus, checking off a box when you've completed a task is perhaps the most satisfying thing ever.
Did you make a New Year's Resolution, goal, or perhaps choose a "word of the year"? I'd love to hear how it's been going.
Happy Monday!
Image: Death to the Stock Photo