Instructions
In order to practice being effective, first you need to know what your goals are. We are going to look at the short-term goals that you have for this day and the long-term goals that you want to achieve in the near future.
Part One: Short-Term Goals
Think about the things you need to do today. Start with the small and obvious tasks - when people experience depression and low mood, even these tasks can seem like too much work. That's okay. We'll look at the basic needs, step by step. Think about cooking a meal, getting a shower, cleaning or tidying your apartment. If they seem too much to you, just remember that you will do them spread out over several hours.
Then, continue with the other obligations that you have, such as work or studies. Set realistic goals. Think about what you've been perhaps postponing. Write all these short-term goals in the worksheet.
Next, think about the precise steps you have to take in order to achieve this. For some, it may be obvious and self-explanatory (like taking a shower, or getting something to eat). For the others you may need to write the steps.
You may find this exercise beneficial to do on a daily basis. If that is the case then we encourage you to do so.
| Short-term goals for today: | Steps to reach them: |
|---|---|
| 1. Getting a shower | Get in the shower! |
| 2. Eating a healthy breakfast | Choose recipe, get ingredients, prepare meal, enjoy, do dishes |
| 3. Doing the work activities I've been postponing | Making phone calls, and answer mail for starters. |
| 4. Cleaning up my apartment | Cleaning the piled up dishes and doing laundry |
Part Two: Long-Term Goals
Thinking about the long-term goals that will make you fulfilled is a very important task that also can be very enjoyable. Think about all the things that you wanted to do, but for some reason, you never got to do. Relax and think broadly - do not limit yourself to things that you feel like you should be doing. Maybe there are certain hobbies or activities you always wanted to do.
If you want to work on developing a certain aspect of your life, then you can refer to the Actions Based on Values worksheet. Think about all these aspects.
Choose one goal from the brainstorming that you did and write it down in the worksheet. Then just like with short-term goals, think about and write down the steps to achieve this goal.
Example
1. Long-term goal: I want to pursue painting on a semi-professional level in my free time. Eventually I would like to have some of my paintings shown in an art exhibit perhaps in some local, independent gallery.
2. Steps to achieve this goal:
- I feel like I should educate myself a little more. I will search for online courses and enroll in one of them.
- I will spend two hours each day painting. Not only do I find this very relaxing, but it brings me an aesthetic fulfillment which feels amazing.
- I will work until I have several paintings I am comfortable showing to other people.
- I will start researching on how to approach indie galleries so that I can get my work exhibited.