Setting Realistic Goals for Scrapbooking

Goal setting is an important technique for accomplishing many things. It can also be useful in scrapbooking.

Often we enjoy the scrapbook hobby but other activities and priorities in our life can keep us from our hobby. To get more done, try setting scrapbook goals.

Goals are important but they can lead to frustration when we make unrealistic goals. Here are some ways to keep your goals realistic:

• Be Specific. Chose a goal that can be stated simply. It should easily define what you are going to do. Make it measurable so you can tell if you've reached your goal. Your goal could relate to scrapbook projects, scrapbooks pages, photography, journaling or anything else related to scrapbooks.

Examples: "Finish a nine-page mini book on Christmas in one month," "For the month of May I will scrap three pages each week" or "For a week I will carry a notebook with me and record journaling right as or after a noteworthy event happens."

• Be Realistic. A goal needs to be realistic and attainable. Nothing keeps us from not completing our goals more than making them unrealistic. Look at your life, your schedule and your priorities. Can you really commit to your goal? Does it fit into your current lifestyle? A goal shouldn't be easy, though. It should be a little bit of a challenge, but not overwhelming. For example, if you currently create one page a week it would be unrealistic to make a goal to create one page each day. Instead, make a more attainable goal such as "For a month I will scrap two pages a week, keep a journal and spend one hour a week organizing my photographs."

• Use Time. Each goal should involve a time frame. Having a time frame gives us incentive to keep going for that time span. It also gives us a chance to evaluate how we are doing or change our goals when we reach the end of the time frame. When making goals consider adding something like "within a month" or "for two weeks" into your goal.

A good goal will include a time frame and a specific activity. For example, a goal might be stated as, "Over the weekend, I will finish six layouts." An even better goal would include more specific tasks and a rewardsuch as, "Over the weekend, I will finish six partially-done layouts by writing the journaling and adhering it to the layouts in order to earn a trip to the scrapbook store."

Once you've chosen a goal, try some of these hints for keeping your goals:

• Write It Down. Write your goal down on paper and leave it somewhere you can see it. Continue to keep it in front of you so you can remind yourself of your goal.

• Involve Others. Let others know about your goals. Support is very important to achieving any goal. With your family and friends aware of your goals, they can help and encourage you.

• Reward Yourself. After the time frame of your goal passes reward yourself. It can be a scrapbook-related reward or something else that motivates you.

• Try Again. If you don't make your goal, try again. After the time frame of your goal passes, create another goal. Use your former experience as a way to create a more realistic goal. Don't overdo it and you'll have a better chance of achieving your goal.

So, set a goal and have fun. With a goal, you will have an effective way to get some of your scrapbook projects done.