Today it’s time for the first working day 2020 and it’s time for me to start laying the foundation for the results I want to create during the year. Lay the foundation you too.
I know that the work I put in during the first quarter will yield results for the rest of the year. I see the first quarter as a preparation for the rest of the year, although of course I do work that brings in money during this period. Since I have set new goals for the year, the start of the year will really be a starting shot for the success of these goals.
If you really have a good plan from the beginning, you will notice that it rolls on easier during the rest of the year. It is not uncommon for the plan for the first quarter to be stricter and the rest of the year it can be eased up a bit because you know you are heading in the right direction. It is only important that you evaluate at regular intervals and tighten at the right time.
In addition, it is often the case that the motivation is high at the beginning of a project so it is smart to speed up while the pants are up. Therefore, the start-up feels very important.
How do I think before a start-up?
I want the start-up to be properly prepared. I want to know what I should do and what the plan is for when I start, it is to create results. It may sound ambitious and advanced, but without results I lose motivation. Therefore, my plan for the entire first quarter is already ready. Now it’s about making a difference.
A result does not have to be big, it is more about that I want to see that it progresses and that I see that I am on the right path. When 2020 is over, I want to be able to tick off my goals and see that I have achieved success in what I started today.
90 days is a fair amount of time to plan for.
Lay the groundwork with a 90-day plan
Before a start-up, I set the goals and plan the various steps that will be included in the coming quarter. I spend a lot of time on my planning because I know that the details are what makes the difference in how much time then needs to be spent thinking out each step.
I choose to plan 90 days at a time because it is a good time to look ahead. It is not always easy to grab more time than that and depending on what your profession is, the conditions and situation can change quite quickly. That’s it for me. Not that it changes that much, but one project can be exchanged for another because it became more time-relevant and I do not always know what assignments I will have in six months. Therefore, three months at a time will be just right for me.
Five goals per quarter
I set five goals per quarter. Four of the goals are business-related and one is personal. Why? Well, for business goals are requires short term planning with more details while the personal goals are going on for a longer period of time and it is not always the same every quarter.
I write each goal and then add a motivation to why this goal is important to me right now. If I know why, the motivation will be greater. Then I enter all the actions. So what should I do and when it should be ready. Deadlines are super important for productivity and that I know how much time I have and can plan my days better.
Make a schedule so you clearly know how to use your time.
I’m making a schedule
When I have set my goals and produced the sub-steps, I put everything in the calendar. I make a schedule so that I see how my time is to be used and what more I have room for in addition to what is included in the goals. The goals should of course include what is most important for me to work with.
The schedule includes the goals but also time to create content for social media and work with the membership program Be Your Power. The membership program is half my working time and the other half is coaching. assignments and content creation.
I make a plan for social media
An important part of my preparation for a new quarter is that I plan my social media. I make lists for topics to write blog posts about, podcast about and make videos for youtube about. The lists should make it easier for me so that I do not have to sit and think about what I should write about every day. It’s time consuming.
That I do this means that I can add a half or full day from time to time to just create the content. It does not get so much dangling and I do not have to walk around and worry about what I should have done all the time. It’s a feeling I dislike.
This particular plan is the one that usually holds the worst but it is still good to have. Why does it crack? Yes, because I come up with new topics that are relevant because things are happening in my environment and I want to answer that and that I get questions that I want to answer. What I write and film should be relevant.
Today I start
Today I start by writing all my goals one more time to remind myself of what I work for and I will do it every morning for the rest of the year and when it is done I start my day. What do I start with? The first thing on the to-do list.
