When I started writing this post, I wanted to share an apology for leaving it so long and an excuse for not writing anything since February. But the truth is, you don’t really need to hear why I’ve not been present as the face of my business. You need to know what I’m doing moving forward. Why should I be a writer you hire and why should this be a blog you read?
Part of my excuse was linked to work. You see, while I’ve not been active on the site, I’ve been extremely busy behind the scenes. My clients remain my #1 priority. No matter what is happening personally, I don’t miss a deadline and I don’t make excuses.
You’ll notice that I got a facelift on my website a few months ago. That was my intention to get this site kickstarted again. But then the time slipped away and I was left feeling like it was too late to come back and share business tips. What could I offer? It’s not like I’ve been that busy.
Then it hit me: Starting afresh and planning your goals.
This Time of Year Is Perfect to Start Afresh
That’s something that I want to do. I want to begin this blog partially as if nothing else has ever happened. I want to be able to get back into the swing of things and pick up my blog again. And I know there are plenty of you out there looking to do the same thing with your business.
Now is the perfect time to start afresh. We’re going to the end of a year, which is typically a time to start looking at new beginnings. We set goals that we want to achieve by the end of the following year and attempt to create a plan to do that. If you’re anything like me, those plans go out of the window after the first quarter. Life adapts and change.
Boss Mom: The Ultimate Guide to Raising a Business & Nurturing Your Family Like a Pro
Creating Plans for a Fluid Life
But this is still a good time to start anew. You have the energy and the focus to look at plans. While my goals never work out and plans change, I still make them. Now, though, I don’t make them for the year. Sure, I’ll have a big picture and a big goal, but I work on things month by month. And the goals adapt based on the month I’ve had.
This is something I’ve done for the past month and it’s been working. Instead of worrying about not making the potentially impossible goals I set at the start of the year, I’ve pulled it all back and looked at each month as it comes. Right now I’m looking at January and realized that many of you will be going through the same thing as me.
Read more: What Does a Good Freelance Blogger Do for Your Business
How I’m Planning Month-by-Month
I use a planner to set up a plan of attack. You can use a bullet journal, a diary, or anything else that you prefer for your planning method. We all have our own preferences, right?
For each day, I’ll set out the hours I have available. I’ll plan everything to the minute, including the breaks I’m taking. There is a little leeway on the time, so if I finish something sooner I can choose to take an extra break or I move onto the next item until the next break or block of work comes along.
I’m motivated to get through the work. I want to finish before the time I’ve alotted and it helps me stay on track.
Then I have the monthly goals — the traffic I want to see, the social media increase I want to gain, the new number of clients I want to achieve, the income I would like to see at the end of the month. I’ll break it down into what I need to achieve each day and then track where I am. If I see things slipping, I reassess what I’m doing part way through the month to try to change tactics and pick things back up again. If I see I’m doing better than I hoped, I’ll look at what’s worked and what hasn’t to see what I need to do to keep that momentum.
Planning monthly makes me more focused. I’m not thinking of six months down the line when everything can change — in this house, things change within days sometimes. Everything is less overwhelming and smarter for me.
What My Business Plan for 2019 Involves
2019 is the year for me to be more consistent. That’s my word. So, now I need a business plan that helps me reach that goal.
January you’ll see more changes on this blog. I’m tightening up my blogging categories and I’ll reassess the type of content I share. I need this to be a space for you. As a business owner, you want to know how to grow your business and find the right bloggers for hire.
How do you plan your year? What type of planning are you doing for your business this year? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Looking for a new blogger for hire or to outsource your content in the New Year? Get in touch to find out how I can help you.
