Track It If You Want It, Issue #116

You're mostly focused on client work when you’re a Virtual Assistant. But it’s important to move forward with your business goals as well, which is not always easy to do.

I’ve discovered that if I track my progress every week, I can get my client work done and achieve my own goals. Here’s how to make it happen:

1. Figure out what’s important.?If you have a business goal of “Growing my client base by 50 percent,” you might break that down into “publish my newsletter monthly,” “have lunch once a week with someone?in?my network,” and “schedule one public speaking event per quarter.” By breaking the big goals into measurable chunks, you can manage your progress over time.?

1. Create a tracking system you can live with.?I like Excel, and so it’s easy (and fun) for me to create a spreadsheet with one tab for each goal I’m tracking. I keep the spreadsheet open at all times, which allows me to quickly glance at any tab and see how I’m doing as the year unfolds. But maybe you hate Excel, or find it too complicated. That’s fine, as long as you develop some kind of consistent system for tracking. It can be a whiteboard?in?your office, a list on your desk, or anything else that you dream up. Just like?choosing a machine to work out on at the gym, you?won’t use it if you don't like it and understand how it works. Create a tracking system you like, and use it.
2. Don’t be too hard on yourself. If you fall off the wagon for a few days, don't?get caught?in?the trap of seeing the tracking system as a reminder of it.

The way I look at it, every day is a new day.?Even if I fall down on one or two of my items for a while, I give myself permission to?start?again from where I am and move forward. I’ve come to realize that the purpose of my system is to track progress, not beat myself up about past behavior!

Tracking what you want to accomplish might seem like a lot of work at first, but it works. Thanks to my system, my goals are?in?front of me every day, along with the action steps I need to accomplish them.?For me, this approach has transformed my goals from chores into fun action items. And I have to admit, it feels awesome to take care of my business too.

Belinda Sandor is the Founder of The VA Connection where she works with new, aspiring, and established Virtual Assistants to help them build thriving businesses through her free online community, courses, and coaching programs. You can learn more here: https://www.thevaconnection.com/