How to Use Daily Planners for Goal Setting in 2021

The start of a new year is the start of many beginnings. A new year provides a blank slate, a fresh start to tackle challenges head on and look to the future. No year is this more true than 2021.

After a year of unprecedented challenges during lockdown, more than ever, goal setting in 2021 holds the promise of happier times for healing and prosperity. The best way to prepare is to start on your goals well in advance. Here are our top tips for how to use daily planners for goal setting in 2021. 

Advance goal setting in daily planners for 2021

Ready and waiting to start on goal setting in 2021? Why not make a start! Though there will be goals you can’t complete until the new year, you can certainly prepare for the tasks of the year ahead. 

The best starting point for using daily planners for goal setting is to review the past year. If you’ve already used a daily planner, look back on the past year’s goals and accomplishments. What worked? What didn’t? What was the defining achievement of your year? How can 2021 be even better?

Use the notes section in your current daily planner to brainstorm. Think about what you really want. Don’t be vague. Write it to yourself in short, specific terms. For example, if your goal is ‘to get a better job’, you might write:

‘Better pay. Shorter work hours. Closer commute. Varied and interesting work in my field. Community-focused organisation.’

Return to your brainstorming session as you work through your goal setting in 2021 to ensure your goals and decisions fit with your long-term aims.

Goal setting for 2022

One of the best ways to use daily planners for goal setting in 2021 is to skip ahead to 2022. Don’t think about where you are now, think about where you want to be then. 

What does the end goal look like? Is it a newly redecorated house? Or a better workout routine? Visualise the end goal with all its benefits in your mind.

Now, step back a month. What does that look like? What smaller goals might you be setting to reach your main goal? And the month before that? 

If you’re redecorating, for example, you’ll need to think about when to paint the walls. And before that, you’ll need to search the internet for colours. And even before that, you need to take down the old wallpaper. Work backwards until you reach your starting point to put your goals into perspective.

Using daily planners for goal setting flexibly in 2021

If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that life is unpredictable. The best laid plans can be broken. As the world gradually recovers from the impact of COVID-19, it’s difficult to know what complications might impact goal setting in 2021. Plans for the new year should always be flexible.

It’s important to consider complications well in advance. If you’re moving house, will local lockdown measures impact your move? If you’re setting up a business, how will you need to adapt to the current situation? Will you be able to order equipment online?

Even if your goals are unlikely to be impacted by coronavirus, factoring possible issues in advance can avoid stress and disappointment later. When using daily planners for goal setting, jot down any possible problems alongside your goals. How could you resolve them? For example, if you’re renovating a property, you may need to seek planning permission. Whatever your goal is, make sure you know what you’ll need and who to contact if problems arise. 

Using daily planners in 2021 is one of the best ways to start goal setting for the year ahead. Daily planners help you embark on the journey towards your goals before the year even begins. With the impact of COVID-19, there will be many uncertainties and challenges to overcome, but as the world rebuilds, understanding how to use daily planners for goal setting in 2021 will ensure you start the year on the right footing.