Life management: a holistic approach to make the most of your life

There is great variation in the way people approach structuring their lives, with different approaches to planning, goal setting, and decision making.

• The first approach is to live for today. People in this category prefer what is current to what has already happened or what will occur. These people can be characterized as present time-oriented.
• At the other end of the spectrum, there are the extreme planners, where meticulous control and extensive consideration of one’s life’s direction are thought to be the best ways to ensure success and overall well-being. 

1. Personal goals. Instead of creating multiple to-do lists, consider your life as a whole. By acknowledging that you are more than the sum of your parts, you can work on what researchers call intergoal facilitation. 
2. Self-regulation. Once you have selected your integrated goals, you need to understand and manage your reactions to events happening around you. This self-regulation process involves practicing new skills or seizing the right moment, and finding ways to overcome obstacles to success.
3. Age-related expectations. You may need to adjust your goals based on the phase of your life.