With so many distractions vying for our attention these days, it’s proving harder and harder to stay focused.

Whether it’s eating more healthily, changing career or booking that dream holiday many of us struggle to realise these ambitions. But all that could be about to change thanks to an award-winning Bournemouth artist.

Forget dog-eared reminder notes on the fridge, professional artist Harriet Muller creates beautiful bespoke paintings known as Mind’s Eye vision boards. For the uninitiated, a vision board is a tool used to aid goal setting and accomplishment.

Weighed down by my own to-do list of unfulfilled life goals, I made an appointment with Harriet to see if she could help to get my focus.

“Traditional vision boards are typically collages of photographs and magazine clippings which are glued to a board. Many people do not want their goals and dreams exhibited so explicitly on the wall for all to see and would rather keep them hidden,” says Harriet.

The first step in the process involves two one-hour sessions via either Skype or telephone with Harriet before she lovingly produces an original painting on high quality canvas.

Harriet has a very calm and friendly manner, instantly putting you at ease while trying to tease out your goals and anything that might prevent you from succeeding.

The exercises include writing your own obituary or 90th birthday speech, which helps to establish your beliefs, roles and goals. It’s a strangely jarring and powerful experience and works well to put your life into perspective and highlight what’s important to you.

For me this was revealed to be family, friends, and fitness aspirations. Some of these included a new house, cycling, travelling to Scandinavia and being more creative.

It was then left to Harriet to artistically interpret these in a painting that only I could decipher.

Having undertaken numerous commissions throughout her career and an active member of the local arts community, Harriet also spent the time trying to understand my interior design needs. After discussing everything from favourite artists, interests and hobbies so that the final painting has a personal style that you’d be proud to put on your wall for everyone to see.

A fortnight later and I excitedly took delivery of a gorgeous oil painting. Forget freshly opened coffee, the smell and feel of a new painting is truly something you can savour.

Even better was recognising the different elements of the painting and the meanings. For instance my family were represented as swans and there was even a nod to the late David Bowie (see if you can work out the rest).

According to Harriet: “For a vision board to truly work, it needs to be put in a prominent place in the house or office so that you will see it every day.”

So now hung with pride of place in the landing. To the untrained eye, the image looks like a vibrant and surreal oil painting.

As I pass by every day, it serves as a pleasant reminder to make time to focus on what’s important in my life. Even better is the satisfaction of making some of those dreams true.

• You can find out more information and prices from the website mindseyevisionboards.com.