It’s hard to believe January is already over and February is moving full-force ahead. More than one-twelfth of the year, gone, just like that. Where did the time go?
The beginning of the year is full of optimism. You’re ready to cut out the bad and start more of the good. But as life gets back to the routine, it’s easy to lose that motivation. This year you really were going to go to the gym everyday or do that juice cleanse or give up the corporate life to pursue your passion (we’re all about that last one!). But then life gets in the way.
Welcome to your check-up.
No, you’re not sick. Or if you are, please seek professional medical attention, because that’s not our area of expertise. This check-up isn’t about making you feel guilty for not following through with your grand idea for 2014. Rather, we want to step back and take the time to think about how our goals for the year are already starting to play out in our day-to-day lives. Michelle Shemilt has some great tips for working on your business that can help us in that reflective look.
Are you looking at your numbers? The end of the year reports are great, but what about knowing what’s going on the rest of the year? Shemilt focuses on being comfortable with your numbers by letting go of the emotions tied to them. That’s not easy, but if you can separate the two it may help you take a more regular look at the financial side of your business.
And while we’re at it, what are your goals? Financial or otherwise, you need to know what they are. Thinking about them is helpful, but writing them down is even better. If the new year/holiday time left you frazzled, now is a great time to set them more concretely.
What is already proving to be wrong? Maybe you thought waking up an extra hour early would be the answer to getting it all done, but are exhausted all the time. Or you thought you’d be way more excited to work on this new project than you are. That’s okay. Reevaluate your goals now so that you can adapt them instead of giving up on them completely.
Shemilt’s last tip is her best: just take the next step. When all else fails, just keep going. You had your reasons for setting your particular goals. Reflect on those reasons. When you slip up, focus on the one thing you can do to get back on track. And don’t forget your check-ups.
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Elizabeth McCumber, marketing maven and freelance writer, focuses on providing quality creative content for entrepreneurs. She also specializes in email marketing and social media planning. Connect with Elizabeth on LinkedIn.
