With the end of 2016 quickly approaching, it’s time to start thinking of new goals for the new year. I love setting New Year’s resolutions each year. It’s a time to reassess what is and isn’t working- including yourself.
‘Be more productive’ is a common and vague resolution. It doesn’t hold you accountable to specific goals, and it has no timeline. Setting productive resolutions will actually lead you to be more productive next year.
How To Set Productive Resolutions in 2017
Be specific about goals.
When you say you want to waste less time, narrow it down. Are you spending too much time on Facebook, watching too much Netflix, or going to too many events? Identify the things that hold you back.
A great way to do this is to track how much time you spend on different aspects of your business. If social media dominates your time, you can automate it. If invoicing is causing you stress, set up a system for yourself.
Identify your time waster so that you can eliminate it. The same goes for wanting to ‘do more.’ Figure out exactly what you want to accomplish: $40,000 in revenue or a new office space to work in. Once you know what you want, you can begin to work towards it.
Get Comfortable with Outsourcing
Outsourcing can be one of the biggest boosts a business can receive. It can free up both time and brain space for you to create new ideas and materials. Bringing someone in to take care of the minutia might be a freeing experience for you.
If you’re having trouble deciding if outsourcing is right for your business, ask yourself where you want to be this time next year. Do you want another year of less than stellar success? If you are standing in your own way, move aside. You can’t set a resolution to be more productive in 2017 and then block yourself from achieving it.
Find Balance
If you’re overworked, your business will suffer. Don’t believe me when I say you can get more done by doing less? Think about the last time that you were stressed out or sick. Were you at your most capable?
Staying healthy (and this includes mental health) is a key part of productivity. It will allow you to get your own work done well, lead your team well, and leave a great impression on people you’re meeting. Burnout isn’t a good look on anyone.
When you set productive resolutions, you set yourself up for a productive year. You now have specific goals to work towards, and specific ways to do it. All that’s left is to check things off the list throughout the year in 2017.
