Plan: Create An Action Plan To Achieve Your Goals
Use these tools to help you make a plan and achieve your goals.
Complete the Your Priorities List
A great way to use this worksheet is to complete it first yourself to clarify your preferences. Then ask your spouse, partner or others in your life to complete it as well. You can compare answers to see if you share a similar vision for the future or where you may need to discuss things further and/or negotiate.
MIT AgeLab Research Scientist Lisa D'Ambrosio describes The Hartford and MIT Agelab research findings.
Talk with significant others and loved ones.
Do you and your spouse or partner agree about your future lifestyle and housing decisions? There are lots of ways to start a conversation.
Conversation Starters
- Talk about something you saw on a home improvement program.
Today there are a wide array of shows dedicated to home improvement. Some focus on do-it-yourself projects, while others demonstrate the role of an architect or contractor. Either way, these programs are a great way to preview home design and start a conversation about what you like and what you don't.
- Compare your priorities.
Your Priorities List will help you talk about your goals and desires for the future. Did any of your answers surprise you? While you're thinking about where you live and the home you live in, jot down a list of things you'd like to do next.
- Visit other homes.
When visiting family or friends, talk to your spouse or partner about what features of their home you like or don't like. Notice the structure and design. Is that something you would prefer or not?
Use the Start List for Design Ideas to make choices for updating your home or buying a new one.
Take a look at the list and see which items would work with your current home or, if you're looking for a new home, which features to look for. Then start to plan. Go shopping at a home improvement store, or talk with an architect or contractor to see what it would take in terms of time, money and other resources to include those features in your home.
