September Already? Time to Plan, Not Panic.

Is it just me or does September always seem to kick-off a frenzy of activity as people realise the year is coming to an end? New projects and new deadlines start popping up in a rush to get everything done before the end of the year. But does this mad dash really make sense? Too often we let arbitrary deadlines drive our activity - end of month, end of quarter, end of year. But do these dates truly make sense for the projects we're working on? Or are we just accepting an ingrained belief that everything must wrap up by December?

This year I'm challenging myself to avoid these self-created deadlines and instead focus on what makes the most sense for my goals. If a project deserves more time in order to do it right, why cut corners to make an earlier deadline I pulled out of thin air?

Planning, not panic is going to be my mantra in September. It will be my month to purposefully review my efforts and intelligently map out the next phase, whether personally or professionally.

If you want to be the person who challenges the notion that everything important must suddenly wrap up by December, use September as a springboard for thoughtful planning, not a catalyst for pointless panic. Deliberately review, strategise and prioritise – here are some helpful questions to ask yourself:

What projects or endeavors are going well that I want to keep up or build upon?

What isn't working that I should change or stop altogether?

What new opportunities or ideas do I want to test out in the coming months?

Are there organisational or process improvements I should implement before year-end?

Are there partnerships or collaborations I want to initiate?