The New Year is an exciting time for change. We are still joyful from the holidays, we have (hopefully) had a time to rest and regroup, and there is a chance for a fresh start. We always go into the New Year with the best intentions: we will go to the gym more, eat less junk food, reach out to our friends more. We also go into the New Year with lofty business goals, such as increasing revenue and building a social media platform for our brands.
But, by February, we seem to lose the momentum in achieving these goals, and don’t remember them until we are reviewing our year in December.
This year, the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce wanted to give our network of Certified LGBTBEs® and corporate partners five points of advice on how to keep your New Year’s goals with you all year long!
- Learn How to Schedule Like a Pro
Creating a schedule – and sticking to it – is the ultimate key to staying on track. This article by Entreprenuer.com highlights effective practices to control your time. Making time in your schedule to reply to emails and creating a routine are just several of the ways that you can use your time more effectively.
- Set SMART Goals
What are SMART Goals? They are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-bound. For example, simply saying, “I want to increase my revenue by 20% in the next year” is not enough. But, saying “I want to increase revenue by next January by 20% by building a larger customer base, increasing transaction sizes, and raising my prices” is a SMARTer way to format your goal.
Write down your goals and place it on your desk, or somewhere you will see it often. More of a visual person? Draw what that goal looks like. If you have the achievement written down, it will feel more attainable and less overwhelming.
- Work as a Team
Working with your colleagues on your business goals has a multitude of benefits: for moral support, advice, and delegating tasks. Research by Queens University shows that 3 in 4 people view teamwork in the workplace as very important. In order to stick to your goals, it is important to have colleagues with you along the way.
- Identify Your Weaknesses
What strays you away from completing tasks? Skipping breakfast, not sleeping enough? Make sure to identify what throws you off course from your goals to try and change those behaviors.
- Take a Break
There is a balance to achieving goals. If you work day and night on an objective for weeks, you are likely to burn out and risk not completing your goal. Make sure to take care of yourself! See your friends, talk to your family, or sleep in on Sunday morning. If you are exhausted and overworked, your goals won’t be reached.
NGLCC is ecstatic for what the new year and decade holds. 2019 was a pivotal year, and we are looking forward to the New Year!
Interested in certifying your business? Visit our website to learn more!
