If your objectives aren’t focused, then it will be very difficult to come up with an action plan and your to-do list will be a nightmare. Get organised by using the SMART method to define your goals. This means they should be: 

Specific: Any goal you set should be specific. This means you need to know what you want to accomplish, what you need to do to complete the task and what resources you will need. 

Measurable: You should be able to track your progress by some measurement. This will allow you to see how far you have come and keep you focused on what you still need to do. 

Achievable: Your goal must be realistic. Setting a goal that is impossible to complete, no matter how much you would like it to be, is setting yourself up to fail. 

Relevant: Your goal should be something you care about and be relevant to your long-term plan. 

Time-bound: Your goal should have a deadline as this will give you a time frame to work within and keep you focused on the task. Just be careful to allocate yourself enough time when you set your deadline, allowing yourself time for other things too. 

Set up a weekly or monthly reminder to review how you are getting on. Take stock of how things are going and how much progress you’ve made. If you feel that you’ve gone off track or have had to slow down your pace, go back to your plan and come up with a strategy for getting yourself back on track.