Starting 2022

How are you getting on so far with your plans and goals for the year?

As I return from my Christmas break, here are my hints and tips to help you get ready for the year ahead...

• Focus on one new year resolution or goal at a time.
• No excuses or putting things off - make a start on your plans, and get a basic version working or set up.
• On a similar note, stop waiting for the perfect moment - otherwise you will never find the right moment. Just make a start!
• Not always about new things - for example reread some of the books you read in 2021, and try out the ideas that you promised yourself you would try.
• Don't try to achieve everything within the first month - you may have a long list of goals, and it may be tempting to do everything in one go - however remember you have 12 months to achieve them, not one month!
• Don't give up - especially during these uncertain times, you can still adapt, change and go ahead with your plans as things change.
• Join and take part in Facebook groups - don't just sell in these groups - check out what other people are posting, reply to posts, start your own discussions, etc.
• Put together some form of plan - whether it's notes on a bit of paper or a full plan, it's still worth putting some form of plan together.
• Review and update your social media profiles - including Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, etc. This includes your bio/description, header images and any pinned posts.
• 5 day challenges are great, if you actually get something from them - don't feel like you have to join every challenge you are invited to take part in, and avoid ones that promote bad practices (or full of useless info for 4 days, then on day 5 tell you to start your own challenge!)
• Who can you help at the moment? For example, can you help people get set up for working from home following recent government announcements?
• Review your pricing - also look at anything you are offering for free at the moment, that you perhaps should be charging for.
• Remember to have time off - not just at Christmas, remember to have breaks at other times of the year as well.
• There are some tasks you may not have considered to be part of your working day - remember reading business/personal development books, writing, managing your social media, etc. count towards the number of hours you work.
• Don't be tempted to post “say yes in the comments” style posts - these seem to be appearing everywhere again, and I've previously written a blog post on why these posts should be avoided!
• Carry out a few goals or tasks really well, rather then trying to do lots of things.
• Ask for help or advice - whether that is by hiring someone, joining groups, etc. - although beware of armchair experts!
• Avoid trying to impress people with jargon or buzzwords.
• Prove you can deliver - it's tempting to spend a lot of time saying you can do something, however in the amount of time it's taken to talk about it, you could have actually done it.
• New year doesn't mean ignoring the previous year - instead it's an opportunity to build on your work and achievements from previous years.

Do you have any hints or tips you can add to this list? How do you get started for the year ahead?

Can I help you get ready for the year ahead? Need to get set up for working from home?

I develop a range of software products that can help, including...

• Planning your work and goals.
• Club/charity membership.
• Presenting and broadcasting shows from home.

Contact me to discuss further, or click any of the items in the above list to visit my website and download free trials.