In managing big changes, one has to first determine an order of priority. Prioritize everything in your life in an order that makes sense to you. Focus on what makes sense to you and put things in order based on how to get to where you want to go in your future. Whether it is in relationships, with your child, with your career, with your child’s education, or managing your child’s behaviors.
Once you have developed your priority order, look at your schedule. Figure out how much time you can put toward your list of priorities. Once you know how much time you can work with, start time blocking. Block out time specific to your list of priorities, giving more time to those items that are at the top of your list.
Once you have done this, set goals for your list of priorities. Each goal should have an end result and a deadline. Then, turn your goal over from a big hurdle to smaller hurdles, setting checkpoints by date, which will get you closer to your finished goal as you get closer to the deadline. Now, take action.
During your blocked-out times, work on only what you decided you would work on in the time that you allotted. For example, if one of your goals is to spend more time with your family given a new schedule and you have mapped out time just for family time, turn off your cell phone, and do just that; spend quality time with your family. Laugh with your family, take out a board game, discuss feelings, discuss the day and what went well versus what could have gone better. This is a sure way to effectively manage changes within your life!
By: Dr. Naeema Burgess, MS, Diplomate-ABSNP