Can't get your work done?
Too much on your to-do list?
Not making progress on a big project?
‘Set SMART goals’ is the go-to answer in productivity spaces.
As a refresher, SMART goals are
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Relevant
Time Bound
If SMART goals haven't worked for you, I'm here to tell you two things.
- You're not alone.
- It's NOT your fault.
Part of the reason SMART goals fail is our collective susceptibility to the planning fallacy.
Coined by psychologists Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky, planning fallacy is the tendency to underestimate how long a task will take to complete, even when you know better.
It goes something like this…
It took me 5 months to write that last chapter and the one before that. But this time I know I can do it 2 because [insert numerous unrealistic expectations and justifications here].
The planning fallacy messes with the Achievable and Time Bound parts of SMART goals.
The result?
Perpetual overwork and exhaustion from trying to meet goals that aren't achievable in the time you've allotted.
Not good.
All is not lost, though.
There are ways to minimize the planning fallacy while still harnessing the power of goal-setting.
One that works well for my clients and me is doubling the time you think any goal will take to complete.
Yes, DOUBLE!
I know your mind just kicked out a thousand reasons you can't possibly do that - the planning fallacy is strong.
But this one move will go a long way toward giving you more space to complete your important goals, healthily.
That last part about healthily is key.
I invite you to give the doubling method a try and let me know if it makes a difference in your goal achievement.
Before I sign off, I need to add a disclaimer to my advice.
Better planning is important in meeting your goals…but it isn't a cure-all.
There are other forces beyond you that can make goal achievement hard.
Most central are the invisibilized systems that impact our access, outcomes, and experiences, like sexism, genderism, racism, ableism, and classism, to name a few.
As just one example, research shows women between 25 and 44 do on average 4 more hours of unpaid household and care work DAILY compared to men in the same age range.*
That's 28 fewer hours a week - 112 fewer hours a month - for women to rest, recover, think, play.
Better planning methods alone won't fix this. Policies and practices that account for systemic inequities will.
Until our advocacy makes those policies and practices a reality, I'll be here with strategies to help you control what you can.
In peace and solidarity,
Roxanne
