Now that you’ve begun setting
yourself up for success by attending Kickoff events, considering where you want
to take yourself in 2016, and performing the necessary steps to contact new
customers and Team Members, how do you bring all these new pieces of
information and ideas into one cohesive whole to reach your goals? Action
planning and goal setting are some of the most productive ways to reach your
potential as a business owner.
There are many ways to create an
action plan. Each one is unique, but in order to create the best action plan for
yourself, there are a few crucial steps you need in order to remain productive.
Specify the Goal
As you start to plan, be certain
that you know exactly what you to accomplish. If you don’t set clear goals for the
short-term and long-term future, you’ll never be able to tell if your preparation
is working, or if it’s even worth pursuing in the first place.
TIP: When setting your goal and
working through your plan, be sure to keep a record. Keeping a record helps you
organize your thoughts, gives you an idea of how you are progressing, and keeps
you accountable.
Be Realistic
Remaining realistic isn’t meant
to dampen your drive for success. Rather, it’s used as a tool to reduce stress that
may come with missed deadlines, extraneous circumstances, or even being plain
exhausted. Being realistic lets you proactively accomplish goals without
becoming discouraged when interruptions inevitably happen.
TIP: To stay realistic and productive, set milestones that are
measurable and simple. Allowing yourself to reach specific levels of production
keeps you motivated and intent on continuing with your plan.
Stay Organized
This cannot be stressed enough. If
you’ve spent time on a task and you’ve finally finished, mark it off. Visual
confirmations, such as checkmarks on a list, help you to keep track of what is
done, as well as what still needs to be done. Plus, physically checking off a
task is incredibly satisfying.
TIP: Binders may seem outdated,
but they still serve an important purpose. If you or your computer are prone to
forgetting or misplacing information, keeping hard copies in binders is a safe
alternative (or back-up) to keeping your important information safe and easily
accessible. Just don’t lose your binder …
Timelines
Without setting legitimate
timelines, small tasks get pushed back, or even forgotten. When this happens
you may find yourself neck deep in projects and you’ll end up stressed. Establishing
a realistic timetable keeps you accountable
and allows ample time to think ahead. So if you’re not certain how long something
will take, give yourself an extra hour just to be sure. If you finish your task
earlier than expected, great! You can move on to the next one without feeling
rushed.
TIP: Include breaks in your
timetable. Setting time aside to relax helps your brain from getting burnt out
and lets you stay focused without feeling overwhelmed. Set aside lunch/coffee
breaks where you can unwind for an hour.
Don’t Stop Once you’ve established a plan, coordinated with
your team (if applicable), and goals are set, the final step is the simplest and
most important. Keep working!
TIP: Sometimes, unanticipated
events happen. If you feel the need, change some dates around. Don’t get
discouraged. Review and revise your plan, but never give up on your goal!
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