Every year I say I’ll keep a journal of my resolutions, but I usually end up with a half-filled notebook and a bunch of sticky notes. Does actually writing stuff down help you stick to your goals, or is it just another thing to forget about? How do you all keep track (if you even bother)?
KEEPING TRACK OF GOALS: WRITING THEM DOWN OR JUST WINGING IT?
- I’ve tried both—writing stuff down and just keeping it in my head. Honestly, I’m not convinced writing always helps. Half the time, I lose the notebook or forget to check it.
- On job sites, we use checklists for everything. If it’s not written down, something gets missed. But at home? My “goal list” is usually a scrap of paper that ends up in the laundry.
- I do think there’s something about physically writing things that makes them stick a bit more, but only if you actually look at what you wrote later. Otherwise, it’s just another thing cluttering up the desk.
- Digital reminders work better for me—phone alarms, calendar pop-ups, that sort of thing. Less likely to get lost under a pile of receipts.
- Curious if anyone’s found a way to make the old-school notebook method actually work long-term? Or is it just easier to accept some goals will get lost in the shuffle?
Honestly, I’ve tried the notebook thing because it’s cheap and doesn’t need charging, but I always end up misplacing it or forgetting to update it. Digital reminders are handy, but sometimes I just ignore them. Has anyone found a low-cost system that actually sticks?
KEEPING TRACK OF GOALS: WRITING THEM DOWN OR JUST WINGING IT?
Honestly, I’ve tried the notebook thing because it’s cheap and doesn’t need charging, but I always end up misplacing it or forgetting to update it.
I know exactly what you mean. I used to keep a stack of little notebooks around the house, thinking I’d always have one handy. Turns out, they’d end up buried under wood scraps or lost in the truck for weeks. One thing that’s helped me is using a big dry erase board in my workspace. It’s not fancy—just one of those cheap ones from the office supply store—but it’s hard to ignore when it’s staring you in the face every day.
I write out my main goals and break them down into smaller steps. If something changes, I just wipe it off and adjust. It’s low-tech, but it doesn’t get lost or run out of battery. Plus, there’s something satisfying about physically erasing a task once it’s done.
It’s not perfect, but it’s stuck with me longer than any notebook or app so far. Maybe worth a shot if you’ve got the wall space.
KEEPING TRACK OF GOALS: WRITING THEM DOWN OR JUST WINGING IT?
That dry erase board idea is actually pretty clever. I’ve used sticky notes on the fridge before, but they end up curling or falling off after a week. Having something big and visible does seem like it’d be harder to ignore. Personally, I’ve started taping my goals to the inside of a cabinet door—out of sight for guests, but I see them every morning when I grab coffee. It’s not high-tech, but it keeps me honest. Maybe the trick is just finding a spot you can’t avoid.