Are you planning for a great year?

It’s the start of another new year, and for me, after the roller coaster ride that was 2013, it’s the most exciting that I can remember! There’s so much to get done, so many new people to work and meet with, so much fun to have doing what I love…I hope it’s the same for you.

I love planning for a new year…twelve whole months stretching out ahead, full of opportunity and possibility.  Developing a plan that is fully focused on the big game…the important stuff…the things that are going to move me and my business forward and build my personal and professional relationships.​

Planning is crucial if you want to achieve…if you want to deliver measurable results. Yet so many of us head into a new year armed with only a broad set of goals and a jumbled list of tasks, and end up wasting time on irrelevant social media conversations and unfocused meetings and activities.  Before we know it, we’re into March, and we’ve lost nearly a quarter of the year without achieving anything meaningful.

Getting your plan right starts with the big question: What am I trying to achieve…and why? and builds from there…goals, objectives, targets, deadlines, milestones, measures of success…are all essential elements in a robust plan.

After that, it’s down to your personal strategy for time management and personal effectiveness…your daily disciplines that are going to keep you focused on what you’re trying to achieve and why – those crucial first 90 minutes focused on business-building activity; the calls and meetings all scheduled…all with end times; the disciplined use of social media.  Every one of us needs a system that works for us…one that we can be committed to…one that ensures that we feel good when we look back at the day.

I also believe that we need a keynote for our year…you might call it a motto, or maybe a rallying cry.  For me this year, I’m going with something I picked up from the new Walter Mitty film…a line that really resonated with me.  I’m going to live this year by the ABCs and be Adventurous, Brave, and Creative.

How about you? 😉

PS If you would like help in developing your planning system, or managing your time and personal effectiveness, please do get in touch at hello@mariannepage.co.uk.  We will be running an online Masterclass on Time Management & Personal Effectiveness later this month.