I have a small chalkboard on which I write my list of goals. If I ever feel like I don't know what to do with myself, I do something from the list. At the same time, I have a daily to-do list which covers the details that build up to the accomplishment of the larger stuff on the chalkboard list. Sometimes I'll even make nano to-do lists on my phone which further break down the steps I need to take to accomplish things on the daily list. If I could pay my neighbors to scream "MAYBE TRY OUT A NEW RECIPE!" at me every hour on the hour, I would.
My definition of a goal is maybe a little too wide. Reading a book cover to cover usually makes the list. It's a noble and enriching activity that has never been scratched off once. The ones that do are usually the sad ones, like the time the top goal of the week was "Go outside," with a little drawing of a thermometer next to it. I'd celebrate each outing (walking the dog and getting burritos didn't count) by filling a fifth of the thermometer with red, on up 'til the red thermometer juice (lava?) sprayed victoriously from the top.
Trying to replace my wife with a lot of menial accomplishments isn't as rewarding as you'd think. But accomplishing so little can be exhausting, which is why it's nice to work in some well-deserved relaxation ...