How to Plan For the New Year Like a Boss
This post was sponsored by AT-A-GLANCE® as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central. I received complimentary products to facilitate my review.
2015 has been an incredible year for me so far. Just to name a few, I started working on Miss Millennia Magazine full-time. I was invited to test drive vehicles in southern California with Kelley Blue Book. I lost 14lbs. We got a much-needed website design upgrade. I interviewed Miss USA 2015. I traveled to Montreal, Canada, Chicago, IL Cleveland, OH and Monroeville, OH in the same week. I got a Bengal cat, and I made some AMAZING friends. I honestly believe that the day Miss Millennia Magazine launched for success was when I started tracking our success. It is easy to forget your wins when you are always on the go, but just a glimpse back in my AT-A-GLANCE® planner brings back all the good memories and accomplishments I’ve seen in the previous months. I want to talk about planning for the new year as the boss you are so that you can have an excellent 2016.
Setting Your Goals
Before you can accomplish anything, you need a plan. And the first step of that plan is setting a few goals. These goals can feel big and lofty at first, but don’t be afraid to dream big; you’ll have a whole year to accomplish them. Make sure your goals are S.M.A.R.T meaning your goals should be:
- Specific- Meaning it should include you what, how, and Why you are going for this
- Measurable–Meaning you should have some way of measuring your goal to see if it has been achieved.
- Achievable– You should dream big, but the likelihood of one becoming president next year with no political experience is highly unlikely. Be realistic with your goal.
- Results Focused- Instead of measuring activities you do, measure outcomes instead.
- Time-Bound- When do you plan on accomplishing this goal? Without time restraints, it may never happen.
My Goals
With the above points in mind, here are a few of my goals for the new year
- Meet and collaborate with at least eight bloggers on a more long-term basis (at least three months)so that I may learn more about running my own business and make some blogging buddies along the way.
- Go to at least two blog conferences in 2016 so I can meet other bloggers and learn more about making my business bigger and better.
- Go on a trip without working on the site at all for a full week so I know I can take a vacation without working and also know that my business is running well on its own.
- I want to lose another 50 lbs by December 2016, so I can be back I my healthy BMI weight as I was in college.
Break Your Goals into Tasks
Once you set up your goals for the year, the next step is turning those big goals into smaller easy tasks. It may seem like a big goal for you to save $10,000 in a year, but when you break it down, that is $192 a week or $27.47 a day. Consistency is the real driver of success, and if you can find small steps to take throughout the year, you are much more likely of achieving your goal.
My Tasks
- To make blog friends, I will make sure to collect at least ten business cards at every blogger conference I attend. I will also be sure to follow-up with those bloggers promptly following our initial meeting to collaborate and get to know them.
- To attend two blog conferences for the year, I will make a list of future blog conferences and choose two by the end of January.
- This one is a little more tricky since I have to do multiple tasks. First I must track all the things I do for the magazine on a daily basis. Next I must find a way to automate or delegate each task before my leave. I will make a point to find a way to automate or delegate a different task every week to try it out. Once I am ready to travel, I will already know what to do to delegate or automate my duties.
- For me to hit the goal of losing 50 lbs next year, I have to lose 4.16 pounds per month starting in January. Every month I will remove one junk food from my diet and also increase my fitness routine somehow. For example, for January I can have desserts twice a month instead of once a week and also add on more weight to my leg exercises. I know with time and consistency this will get easier.
Add those tasks to Your Planner
Once you have your tasks, you have to keep them somewhere that will not get lost. I highly suggest using a planner. I enjoy the 2016 AT-A-GLANCE® planners since they have some great designs and beautiful sections to add in all your goals. In the notes section of your planner be sure to write out all your goals you seek to accomplish in this new year. Next add the tasks you plan to perform on the appropriate dates.
One of my favorite things to do when planning for the new year is to add all the big things that will be happening in the event calendar in the back of your planner. This helps give you perspective as to all the things you have to accomplish in the new year. I know I get excited just checking out everything that will be happening that year and this alone motivates me to do my daily goals.
AT-A-GLANCE® Pinterest Sweepstakes
Miss Millennia Magazine readers have the chance to win their own 2016 AT-A-GLANCE® planner so they can plan the new year like a boss. Entering this Pinterest sweepstakes also gives you the opportunity to win $200. Entering is simple as long as you follow the steps below.
- Follow AT-A-GLANCE® on Pinterest.
- Re-pin our #Sweepstakes Announcement pin on a new board called, “It’s My Life.” Include pins that demonstrate what you are motivated to achieve, and use #MyAAG #Sweepstakes in each pin description.
- Enter your contact information and URL to your “It’s My Life” Pinterest board on the official entry page here: ataglance.com/Its-My-Life-Sweepstakes
You can check out our It’s My Life board on Pinterest by going here.
A planner is so much more than a schedule keeper. It is the place where you can go to see just how far you have come. What will your planner say you’ve accomplished this time next year? With the instructions above I am sure you will be more capable of hitting every goal you set for yourself. Good Luck in the New Year.
Sources:
AT-A-GLANCE® website
