You’ve made it to Q4, and my hope for you is that you are finishing the year strong. But sometimes, this time of year feels like a mad dash to the finish line, and, in business, there really isn’t one. The momentum you’ve accumulated over the past three quarters shouldn’t leave you coasting through Q4; instead, you need to maintain that momentum because the end of Q4 begins next year’s Q1. You don’t have time to reestablish the momentum that takes three to four months to accumulate; you need to be able to hit the ground running, and I have some helpful tips for you to implement right now to set yourself up for a successful Q4 and an even more successful upcoming year.
Know what it is that you want to accomplish.
Now is the time to look at the end of the year and see where you are in relation to the goals you created for yourself. What have you accomplished? What do you still need to do? Have you hit your personal and professional goals yet? Did you even delineate goals for different categories in your life? Take some time to reflect here and define and understand what you need to accomplish to finish the year strong and start the upcoming one even stronger.
Set up a simple plan.
Create some actionable steps, so you can do what you need to accomplish. Now is the time of year to manage your time so that your time doesn’t end up managing you. You want to ensure that you are staying productive, not just “busy.” This is also the time to plan for the upcoming year. Sit down and write out your goals. These goals should reflect your entire personhood, not just your business goals. Craft personal, professional, healthcare, family, recreational, and self-care goals you seek to accomplish in the upcoming year, and start scheduling time to make them happen.
Check your motivation.
Is the itty bitty shitty committee wreaking havoc in your head space? It’s time to silence them and check in with where you are mentally, physically, and spiritually to ensure you are in the best headspace to finish the year stronger than ever. If you’re feeling drained and lethargic, you’ll end up winding down instead of digging in this quarter. You need to take some time for some self-care so you can be mentally prepared to make some big shifts. If you need someone to hold you accountable, now is the time to find that person. They can help you through this big push and ensure you are doing what you set out to do.
Avoid Holiday Hibernation.
The holiday season leads us to lean into our families and celebrate the season. After October ends, there are countless holidays, and this sometimes makes us turn inward instead of outward where business is happening. Holiday stress is real, and it can make keeping our momentum difficult. This is when you need to honor the goals you’ve created for yourself. During this season, we tend to feel like it is ok to dishonor things that were important to us at the beginning of the year. This creates a behavior you will continue to repeat, and it’s not ok. Find out what is diluting your focus and schedule it. Need to clean the house to prepare for visitors? Schedule it. Need to travel to the opposite side of the country? Schedule it. When you make time for these necessary actions, you will see you also have time to honor your goals.
Reflect on and measure your success.
Are you going in the right direction? Has this year been productive? Can you continue to be productive? These are things you need to think about as Q4 winds down. Celebrate your successes and take time to think about what worked and why. Consider your failures and ensure you don’t make the same mistakes twice.
Take action.
Take your schedule, plan, and make it happen. Allow yourself to do and have what you’ve always dreamed of. This year this might look like a mad dash for the finish line, or maybe you’ve set yourself up with the momentum you need to cruise right into next year. Either way, we are here to help you. Contact us today!