Measurable Success in 2020
We all know that Goals are an important part of our personal and business lives.
Goals give us a great way to measure our growth and success.
However, if we are constantly setting unrealistic goals, we may find ourselves feeling helpless and hopeless when it comes to our business and our lives in general.
I have talked briefly about Goals before, in the Starting your Own Business Series, in which we learned to use our goals to set up Business and Action plans.
Today, I want to talk how to use your Goals to check up on how your business is doing and how to revamp your goals for the new year.
The Right Tools
I approach my business operations, as if they are just another technique, that I need to learn, in order to be successful.
From that viewpoint, I know that the right tools for the job, make all the difference in the world.
Whether you are old school or totally digital, there are such glorious options out there for you to choose from.
I am a bit of an old school girly girl, so like to write things out longhand. I am also constantly jotting down notes and scribbles when I work.
So I had to find a way to keep track of all my thoughts, goals and ideas that didn’t leave my desk looking like it has been nuked constantly.
Over the last few years, I have been fine tuning my skills and tools for staying organized and here is what currently works for me.
I prefer the larger 8.5 x 11 inch Monthly/Weekly planners.
I like to have lots of space, in which to write my daily action items.
I use the sidebar Notes section to set out my goals for each month.
The weekly section is broken down into nice large daily sections.
At the end of the workday, I round up any little notes I have written during the day and add them to this section.
This helps me keep track of my thoughts and ideas from day to day.
I have added my affiliate links to the photos for the Planner I bought this year. I really am pleased with my choice. It has lots of note pages in back as well as a set of vinyl pockets in the back.
Dedicated Notebooks
To explain what I mean by dedicated, I first need to tell you that I can not stand a messy planner. So I keep several notebooks and notepads in and around my desk so I can quickly jot down thoughts, ideas and drawings.
I have one dedicated to goals and business related items and one dedicated to creative tasks and goals.
I go through quite a few of the smaller tear off notepads but they serve a great purpose and they are really inexpensive.
Using the little notepads allows me to make quick lists or take notes without using space in my dedicated notebooks or planner.
This way I can make a grocery list while I solder ring bands and no one is the wiser.
At the end of the day, if there is anything noteworthy I copy what I need to my planner or notebook and toss the little ones out. Thus preserving my sanity with neat planners and notebooks.
Pens ~ Pencils and other handy tools
Make sure that you keep your writing tools handy at all times. Nothing is worse than having to stop and find a working pen when you have a brilliant idea or thought.
Other items to keep handy include:
Tools for Techies
I highly recommend an all in one office suite of apps to simplify your digital life.
There are hundreds if not thousands of apps out there to choose from but like I said earlier, I am a touch old school and a creature of habits so Microsoft Office is the way I choose to go.
With Office 365, I get all the apps I need in one suite and for one low monthly cost.
What to look for in your Office Apps:
- Ease of Use
- Functionality
- Fill a specific Need or Multipurpose
- Good Support and Service
- Handles multiple Email accounts
- Simplifies your Workload
Suggested Apps
- Word Processor
- Spreadsheet Program
- Photo Editing
- Versatile Email Client
- Online Calendar
- Cross Platform Social Media Publisher
I also use the following apps in my business:
- Video Editor
- Slide Show Creator
- Social Media Post Designer
- Screen Capture Software
The Right Goals
Before I begin setting my new goals, I like to make an assessment of the progress made on my goals from last year.
If you are new to business, this is where I suggest that you begin with Planning a New Business and Your Business Plan to learn more about this topic.
Once you have taken a good look at your progress and previous goals, you should be able to quickly determine which goals you need to carry over into the new year.
As you work through your assessment, take special note of any areas where you fell short or were unsuccessful. For example, I found a few a my affiliations fell very short of producing any valuable income but required a decent amount of my time to maintain. I had to make a decision whether or not to cut ties with those ventures or to stick it out another year.
Conversely, also note areas where you have done well and goals you have completed. In the coming year you will want to focus your efforts on duplicating processes and affiliations that are successful and profitable.
Try your best not to skip steps or put off tedious items, such as carrying over your contact lists, affiliate and wholesale supplier lists into your new planners and notebooks. Being behind right from the start of the new year can negatively impact your mental attitude for the whole year.
Now that you have assessed your progress, or have developed your new business goals, you are ready to begin organizing and developing action items.
For me, I find it easier to use my dedicated Business notebook for this step.
This gives me easy access to my goals anytime I need to refresh my memory or get back on track. Plus it makes it easier to make changes and check off completed items without making a mess of my planner.
Once you have your base lists written out, the next step is to organize your items into a workable schedule.
Tips for Attainable Goals:
- Write short but very concise description of your goals and plans.
- Use separate pages for complicated goals or plans and break down into action steps you can used to achieve these goals.
- Divide goals into categories that make sense for your business model and business plan.
- As you work, make sure to think about the time frame in which or logical order of certain goals and action items.
These steps will make it much easier to transfer your plans and goals into your calendar or planner.
Examples of my Business Goals
Time Frame Considerations
- Photos and Listings
- Writing or Video production
- Marketing and Sales
- Creative and design Time
- Daily
- Weekly
- Monthly
- Yearly
One last tip I have for you today is to not get too far ahead of yourself.
Usually, I only write out one months worth of goals and action steps into my planner, with the notable exceptions. Taxes, Banking, Inventory and Monthly Newsletter are a few examples of the fiscal and task based items that have definitive due dates. I add these items to each month’s pages at the beginning of the new year.
I utilize the sidebar notes section of my planner to write out that month’s goals in short form.
I use the small daily blocks to fill in the actions steps needed to reach those goals.
I use the weekly block pages to write notes and lists that help me throughout the month.
Planning your year out one month at a time will help you:
- Stay organized
- Stay on track
- Make easier to check off or extend items as the year progresses.
- Gives you a monthly check-up point on the health of your business.
- Monthly progress reporting.
- Minimize stress in your daily life.
Stress is not only a creativity killer, it also causes illness and depression.
Tips for minimizing stress in your busy day to day business life.
- Keep your work area free of clutter.
- Place a few personal care items around to help you feel relaxed. (Candles, Family Photos, Doodle Pads etc.)
- Take short breaks when you feel any tension in your neck or shoulders.
- Walk outside for a breath of fresh air.
- Don’t forget to drink plenty of water throughout your busy day.
- Keep healthy snacks around for those times when you are too busy to get up for a full meal.
Don’t forget to take care of yourself. Allow yourself some personal pampering time throughout the week.
Try your best not to neglect your household items. Plan those out into your schedule so that you don’t wind up feeling overwhelmed and behind all month long.
I hope find this article helpful when planning out your new year goals and activities.
Have a happy, healthy and productive new year.