Choose one realistic weekly goal

One simply stated outcome

Several goals compete for your energy. Choose the one that would make your week satisfying even if nothing else moves forward.

1. 1List everything on your mind for two minutes, without sorting it.
2. 2Circle what would make the biggest positive difference by Sunday.
3. 3Describe an observable result: "finished", "sent" or "tested".
4. 4Check that it is realistic: if your week is already full, aim for half.

Break it into 25-minute steps

A vague goal will not tell you what to do on Monday morning. Break it down until each step fits a focus session (see the guide to focusing for 25 minutes).

• Start each step with a verb: write, call, sort or review.
• No more than five steps: beyond that, you are planning rather than doing.
• Make the first step simple enough to do when you are tired.

A practical example

A template to fit your schedule

Put actions into time you actually have, not an ideal week. Leave room for surprises. If the outcome depends on someone else, define success by what you control: sending a complete request rather than getting a reply by Friday. For a long project, the goal can be a usable draft rather than the entire project.

Your Sunday reflection

Ten minutes is enough, and this is where you learn to choose better next week. Your daily journal provides the starting point.

• What got done, without playing it down?
• What got in the way: time, energy or uncertainty?
• Carry forward, reduce or drop: a decision, not a failure.
• What is Monday's first step?

FocusJournal offers one active weekly goal; the pricing page explains what is included.