Hey Bosses,
According to the University of Scranton, a whopping 92 percent of people who set New Year's goals never actually achieve them. I've been a part of that group many times before. That leaves 8 percent in a very elite category of goal-achievers. What do they do differently that 92 percent of people are missing out on? They create a well thought out plan and they actually follow through.
Last week we worked on identifying your business goals (your dreams) for 2020. If you missed it read more about identifying your dreams and goals here. Once you have your goals set, your next step is to create a plan. Before you start tackling "ALL THE GOALS" at once, select your top goal that you want to focus on first. It is the one that is THE MOST IMPORTANT for the success of your business in 2020. With your top goal selected we can now plan how we will go about achieving the goal. You can create this plan in 5 simple steps.
Here's how:
Step One: Create a Task List
In reviewing your top goal, create a list of actionable items that need to be completed in order to reach your goal. I prefer to use apps to create my lists so that I can organize my tasks (in multiple ways from tags, lists, projects, and/or due dates), I can create deadlines, I can assign tasks to my team, and I can track how long it takes for a task to be completed. Here are some of the top rated apps for you to consider in creating your task list.
Google Tasks
Trello
Todoist
Chanty
Evernote
Google Keep
Step Two: Prioritize
One of the biggest hurdles in planning is deciding which tasks to work on first. They all seem so important and time sensitive but you have to learn to prioritize so that you can effectively work toward achieving your top goal without severely burning yourself out. I very guilty of this, I am the girl that wakes up every Monday morning with a to do list that is a mile long and convinced I will have it all done by 5 pm. But trust me, the smaller the list, the better the focus, the greater the success in each day. The point, prioritization is key. A great tool to use in prioritization is the Eisenhower Matrix.
The Eisenhower Matrix, also referred to as Urgent-Important Matrix, helps you decide on and prioritize tasks by urgency and importance, sorting out less urgent and important tasks which you should either delegate or not do at all. Read more about the Eisenhower Matrix here.
List all of your tasks and assign them to one of the four categories.
An example of the Eisenhower Matrix
Step Three: Schedule Action Steps
Using your task list or one of the apps mentioned in Step 1. When using an app you can easily assign dates to your tasks for yourself or whomever you delegate the task to. This step is very important because it one of the parts that holds you accountable for the work that needs to be done. You can also use a printed or online calendar if you choose when scheduling tasks.
Step Four: Monitor Productivity
You are at the point where everything has been listed and scheduled and you are feeling pretty good about achieving your goals for 2020. Beware, this is where the majority of people lose steam. In everyday life it is a challenge to keep up with completing basic things on our to-do list, now incorporate a business and the challenge is doubled. Following through and monitoring your progress is what will separate you from the rest. It is the thing that will help you stay in the 8% of those that will achieve their goals next year. Don't take this step lightly, check in on your action steps daily (M-F) to see where you are and where you need to be.
Step Five: Adjust the Plan
So you missed a few deadlines and you have fallen off track. It's ok, a huge part of all of this is being able to be flexible and adaptable. Take the time to re-evaluate the tasks, decide if you need to outsource some of the work or if some of the work is not necessary (refer to Step 2 ) Things happen and that is life, but if you can learn to adjust and keep moving forward, you win!
Subscribe for our newsletters that will start December 19, 2019 to help you further realize your dreams, goals and plans for 2020!
Here's to helping you plan for an amazing 2020 and wishing you the best this holiday season!
Your girl boss biz bestie,
SaRatta
Follow @sarattaspeaks and @girl_bossbiz
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