The “Must Do” list for 2016

Welcome back!

It’s already mid-January 2016 and my feet are well and truly under my desk. What is the most helpful thing anyone can do for me or any professional returning to work after a fabulously relaxing holiday? Remind me of my Vision for 2016 and core goals…as you would expect, I’ve made a list: –

What do I really WANT to do this year? Continue to adjust the balance of work and life; maintain and support returning clients, improve and specialise my offering, be open to new referrals, time permitting.

What do I really HAVE to do this year? Plan, schedule and honour my commitments. Invest in my education through AICD and conferences; improve my knowledge and experience through breadth of research, reading and focussed listening to the wider world.

How can I be more EFFECTIVE this year? Ensure I commit realistic timeframes to any actions, e.g. breaks between meetings and plenty of preparation time. Say NO occasionally.

What do I NEED to do this year? Explore options in Singapore (trip booked in May), ensure regular gym/meditation and time to work on my business. Keep perspective!

What DON’T I want to do this year? Invest time which feels “wasted” or where I would prefer to “be cleaning the kitchen cupboards out”. Ask, is it important?

What MUST I do this year for my own satisfaction? Keep fit and healthy, spend time with my family and friends, on-going Pro Bono work (Bushlink), continue to make my business work for me, not the other way around.

What is a LUXURY for me this year? Spare time, it’s up to me to manage that.

And my ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL GOAL for this year? Have fun, enjoy the people with whom I’m lucky enough to work. Appreciate that I’m going in to my 10th year of business and have the same enthusiasm that I had when walking in to my first meeting in 2007! How LUCKY AM I??

NB: If you don’t feel like you can write a similar list with your own personality stamped on it, is it time to do something about that and take control of your business or personal career?