How to Set Goals to Catch Up When You’re Falling Behind and Struggling

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Pressure is the name of the game once you hit the big leagues of post-secondary.  Still, even in High School, you can feel it mounting.  Everyone seems to have expectations of you, and no one is shy to share them.  It can be overwhelming.

There is no clear and easy road to success, and the stress of achieving it can drive someone toward hopelessness.  When we carry such a burden from outside sources to excel, why do we also put added and unnecessary pressures on ourselves?

Think about it this way, you sit down at your desk and look at that massive pile of things you have to do this week.  You have essays and assignments, a term paper, plus exams.  How do you even start to tackle this?  The anxiety begins to rise, and before you know it, you have abandoned it all in favour of laying in bed and binging the first season of Grey’s Anatomy.  For the sixth time.  Obviously not the answer, but at least they can identify with your struggle.

This time, we are not going out like that.  And by “we,” I mean the royal “we,” you know, you and me.  We’ve got this!  We are going to march over to that unimaginable stack of looming due dates, and we will tackle it because we are awesome!

How you ask?  We are going to break that huge, smoking dumpster fire of a to-do list down into small, digestible tasks that are easily completed.

If you are ready to start making progress towards your goals, pick up my free goal-setting workbook.  This book is full of worksheets and templates that will help you set SMART goals and actually achieve them.  We also meet weekly to discuss our progress and hold each other accountable.  Look for the next one under the events tab.  Then, download the goalsetting workbook here to get started.

Why Setting Goals is Important

Setting goals is crucial because it gives you something definite to work towards.  It sets a finish line for your efforts that you can work towards.  This will help you stay productive, not just busy, and focus your efforts toward a final product.

Without specific goals, it’s hard to assess your progress.  You can lose focus and divide your attention between different projects that won’t necessarily get you to where you need to be.  When you set a goal, you can work backwards and make sure all your efforts are directed towards making progress towards your desired result.

How to Set Goals to Catch Up When You’re Falling Behind and Struggling

First, we take a mountain and turn it into a molehill.

It’s nice to do the reverse once in a while!  We usually look at our problems, and they seem so big.  They might even seem impossible to complete, but that’s because the picture you are looking at is too big.  We need to zoom in and find a place to start.

Start by setting your SMART Goal.

The very first thing you need to do is decide on your goal.  That is going to be your destination on this journey.  If you are just starting to fall behind, it might only take you a couple of weeks to catch up.  This goal might take you until the final if you are seriously lagging.

SMART Goals are the most effective goals you can set.  This is because they are:

• Specific

• Measurable

• Achievable

• Relevant, and

• Time-sensitive.

These goals are action based and set with intention.  They take thought and desire to both set and fulfill.

Set your goal to get caught up on the classwork.  Be specific and write it down.  You also need to ensure that you write down the date by which you want to complete this.  Making this promise to yourself is the first step in becoming a reality.

Create a list with each task it will take to complete your goal.

Now, first thing’s first, we have to know what we are actually working with.  Start by making a list.  It does not need to be pretty.  This will be our main list and will be revised over and over again, so it ends up quite messy.

Write down everything due and that you need to complete in the immediate future.  So, this would include any reading or other studying activities that you also plan to take on within that time.  You can also add any assignments or tests you know are coming up in the next couple of weeks.

Break down your list into simple tasks

Once you have everything written down, add the tasks needed to complete each item.  Make this list as detailed as possible.  Do you re-write your notes after the lecture?  Write it down.  Do you compile lecture and textbook notes?  Add that too.  Any pre-lab reading or prep work?  That is two more tasks.  Also, do this for any big projects, or papers, even if they are far away.

As you work on this list, you may remember some items you have forgotten.  It is never too late to add a task to this list.  The entire purpose of this list is to track your progress and focus your efforts.  This is a running tally of everything you need to get done.  It will never be finished.  So, don’t ever stress over adding more items.

Goals must be time-sensitive, so set your deadlines.

Next to each task, create two columns.  In the first column, add how much time you expect to spend on this task.  In the second column, add the date it must be completed.

You will find that some tasks don’t have a due date.  Instead, these jobs are more routine.  These can be things like copying out your lecture notes or other study activities.  For these, there are two approaches.

1. Add a description like “daily” or “weekly” in the due date column.

2. Add an entry for each separate class or chapter.

Neither of these approaches is wrong.  They both get it done, and it really depends on how you feel about the length of your list.  If you have a separate entry for each class or chapter, you will have an extremely long list, but you will be able to track your progress more accurately.  If you add a descriptor like “daily,” it will be very easy to put off or overlook the task, but your list will remain shorter.

The more detailed your task list, the easier it will be to achieve your goals.

If there are separate steps to a project, make sure you write each step separately.  An essay, for example, can be broken down into”

• brainstorm (15 minutes),

• research (30 minutes),

• layout (15 minutes),

• organize (30 minutes)

• outline (30 minutes)

• rough draft (60 minutes),

• revision (3 x 30 minutes)

• final draft, and (60 minutes)

• final revision (3 x 60 minutes). 

Each of these tasks can even be further broken down if needed, depending on your writing process.  The important thing is that no single task on this list is intimidating.

If you have reading to do, try breaking down the chapter into sections or by subheadings rather than just a single entry of “chapter 14”.  Under the entry, add all the steps to your reading strategy.  If you haven’t figured out a reading or study strategy that works for you, check out the module in my digital course.  It helps you design one that plays to your specific strengths.

You should start seeing a ridiculously long list of mundane tasks.  That’s good!  That is what we want.  Most importantly, also know when you actually need to finish things by and how long they will take.  This will help you immensely as we start to put in the work to get things done.  Now we begin to organize.  

Learning how to prioritize this list will be the key to making progress.

On a separate sheet of paper, list all the things that absolutely have to be completed today, tomorrow, and finally, the day after.  These three lists are going to be vital to get you started.

Don’t add the entire string of instructions, just the project’s individual components.  Now you can get a better handle on the urgency of a task rather than that daunting list.  This will help you focus your efforts on the most pressing tasks.

Ideally, each task will take only 15 - 30 minutes to complete.  If anything takes substantially longer than that, consider breaking it down further.  You can add repeating entries of the same task or break down a general entry into something more specific.

Crossing items off your task list will motivate you to make even more progress!

By breaking down huge lists and projects into tiny pieces like this, you can feel a sense of accomplishment as you start crossing items off.  This will show that you can make meaningful progress towards your goals which will inspire motivation.

Instead of stressing that you can’t get it all done, you will be doing it.  As you start completing small portions of the list, this subtle shift in thinking will give you that drive and positivity to tackle more and more projects.  It also prevents you from spinning your wheels in frustration and wasting time on tasks that do not require immediate attention.

You will start blowing through the list of tasks faster than they are due.  You can select extra jobs to tackle as you complete today’s list.  These can either be from tomorrow’s list or off the main one.  Since you have already fulfilled your daily obligations, you now have the freedom to get ahead on anything you please.

Having the freedom to choose where you focus your efforts can help inspire you to get started.

Having this simple task list gives you the flexibility to allow yourself to rotate between duties.  If you don’t feel like doing one right now, swap it with others that may be easier or more entertaining.  It will only be a few minutes until you’re done.  You can just push through the ick to get to the good stuff!

It also allows you to work on things out of order.  There will be times you just don’t feel like tackling some tasks.  With everything written down on your list, you can work on it whenever it works best for you. 

Not a morning person?  Use that time for reading, researching, or organizing your assignment.  Later, when your brain is ready to work, you can focus on tasks that require more heavy lifting.

Your task list is constantly under construction.  It will never be done until you reach your goal.

Every time you sit down to work on your list, add any new tasks that come up.  This includes chapters to read, upcoming tests, or notes to expand.  Any obligations that you need to address can be added to this list.

Your planner is a great tool to use to organize your priorities.  This way, you can add your tasks directly to your day.  It will also help you to be more reasonable about how many jobs you assign on any given day.

While you might want to finish your list in a day, you have to think about how realistic that would be.  Do you have other commitments like class or work you have to attend?  How will they interfere with the progress you plan on making?

Adding all of your obligations to your planner, along with the tasks you hope to accomplish, will help you decide if your expectations are realistic.

If you are falling behind in your classes, make sure to include past-due work.

If you are already behind in some of your studies, you may struggle to keep up for the first day or two.  It will take some effort to clear the clutter.  You may have to prioritize what really needs to be done now and what you can distribute across the upcoming days or weeks.

You might have to push yourself to stay afloat for the first little while.  If you stick to it, you will find that you will be caught up quicker than expected.  The sense of accomplishment you get every time you cross an item off your list will give you the push you need to start another. 

If you are caught up before you start this practice, you will find that breezing ahead and staying on top of your work is easier than ever.   The key is ensuring the list of tasks is manageable and realistic.

Don’t set yourself up for failure with unrealistic expectations.

Expecting yourself to pull off a miracle and do everything in one night is just setting yourself up for failure.  You already have so much external pressure.  You don’t need to put any extra on yourself.  You know what is realistic for you to do, considering your own schedule. 

Don’t dog pile tasks on yourself.  You will feel much better about how much you finish if you start tomorrow’s list early.  If you have to complete today’s tasks tomorrow, you will disappoint yourself and lose motivation.  You may not notice it immediately, but over time, you will begin to feel like you will never be able to live up to your own expectations.

Boost Your Productivity!

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Customizable Study Plans: Not everyone learns the same way, so why follow a cookie-cutter plan? With our templates, you'll craft a study schedule that works for *you* and your goals.

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Goal Setting and Tracking: Whether it's academic or personal goals you're after, we've got you covered with frameworks that make tracking your progress a breeze.

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5 Tips for Successful Goal Setting

Achieving your goals is all about having a vision and planning.  This requires work, day in and day out.  As you make progress, motivation will come, and so will confidence in your ability to make things happen.

Until that day comes, there are a few things you can do to make the chance of achieving your goals more likely:

1. It’s okay to admit you can’t do it all.  If you can’t read an entire chapter in one night, I promise the secret will stay just between us.  No one has to know.  We can fit in the second half another time.  What is important is understanding priority and limitations.

2. Don’t sabotage your progress.  Forcing yourself to push through an impossibly large pile of work you can never hope to accomplish on time will only slow you down like quicksand.  Feeling successful in any task is considerably more motivating than failure.  With that feeling of accomplishment, you can coast through more duties in less time because your actions are motivated by positive reinforcement.

3. Try not to get caught up in the cycle of negative self-talk.  Don’t talk down to yourself.  When you mistreat yourself, it affects your performance.  You need to treat yourself with kindness and grace.  You have to believe in yourself if you want to achieve the goals you create for yourself.

4. Do at least one thing every day to get you closer to your goal.  This does not have to be something big.  Small things like acts of self-care when you are feeling stressed or burnt out can count.  The important thing is that they are intentional.

5. Reward yourself for each milestone.  By introducing positive reinforcement, you can train your brain to enjoy making progress on your task list.  This, in turn, will help you to tackle and complete more tasks even faster!  Your goals won’t stand a chance!

Falling behind in class is not a dead end.  It’s possible to set goals to get caught up and even excel.  Designing a plan to get current on your work, and implementing study strategies that work for you, can help you when you are struggling. 

You don’t have to do all this alone.  Don’t forget to check out our events page to join our weekly lives.  You are welcome to join our community and set and achieve meaningful goals to make the progress you want.

If you haven’t already, pick up my goals-setting workbook.  It has all the templates you need to set meaningful goals.  You can set, track, and reflect on monthly goals, then break them down weekly to make measurable progress.  This workbook is completely free, and you can download it here.

I would like to be transparent so that there are no misunderstandings. As an affiliate, I may earn a small commission from any products linked in this post. This is not a sponsored post, and I was not asked to recommend these products. These are products that I genuinely love and wanted to share with my audience.