Family Summits and Goal Setting

With the closing of another year, we realize that life can go so fast that everything just seems like a blur.  Before we know it, we feel like life sweeps us up, and we don't even know where we're going or where we've been.  So it's become more important for me and my husband to set goals, think through our priorities and be intentional with our time.  I thought I'd share this with you, because it's really helped us to feel connected and ready to take on the year with a game plan!

Last week, we took the kids on a quick get away to one of our favorite cities, Vancouver BC.  We had a great time with the kids, went swimming, went to the moutains, etc...   but one of the best things my husband and I got a chance to do was goal setting for 2011.  We like to call it our "state of the union" meetings or "family summits".  It finally dawned on us, we've both done these for work, why not for our family?  :)

So, the first thing we do is a yearly review.  Our major categories are finances, family/kids, and spiritual life.  Next we go through those same categories and create goals for the new year.  We try to keep them realistic and short.  No more than 2 or 3 for each category.  Before we finish, we schedule times through out the year for "check-ins" or "reviews".  We schedule ours once a quarter.  Here are some other important tips:

• Put it on your calendar!  Plan out the rest of the year.  Give yourselves the freedom to reschedule again if necessary, but get it on your calendars while you're in the moment. Otherwise, it's too easy to overlook.  So even if you can't get through all the goals in one sitting, like us, schedule a time to come back to it.  
•  Put it in writing!  For me, this has been huge.  It really helps to make sure we're on the same page when I write things down.  How often have arguments about one thing turn into "I said/you said"?  That doesn't get us anywhere!  By writing things down, it's given us both accountability and reminders as to what we discussed and what we've committed to.
• Put it up!  I like to post our goals on my big bulletin board right in front of my desk so that I can see it all the time!
• Get away!  If you can, it's best to get away to do this.  Even if it's just a couple hours at Starbucks.  We've found it's way more productive to do this without the distractions of our home.

Hope this helps.  Let me know if you try this.  Here's to elevating each day in 2011!