THE TIME TO PLAN FOR 2021 IS NOW

2020 is not the kind of year any of us was expecting. With just one and a half months to go, now might be a good moment to pause and consider what has been lost, gained and learned thus far and where to go from here. Businesses and entrepreneurs alike have all been forced to pivot, adapt and perform in circumstances far beyond anyone’s control. This year has left us with some many invaluable lessons however it is not yet over, we must purpose to finish strong if 2021 is going to be any better.

It may seem rational to evaluate our goals by looking at how much time has passed and then determining our progress thus far. In any typical year, this would make sense however not in 2020. So much has transpired between businesses closing, staff layoffs, and contractions in world trade. It is impossible to think that you would be on track with any of the goals set in January.

As we get ready to put 2020 behind us, it is important to transform the challenges experienced in 2020 into opportunities come 2021. How about we reboot and start afresh? We need to reassess what is most important to us now, and set new goals with realistic timelines. Here are some tips on how to finish 2020 strong and start 2021 even stronger:

Self-Evaluation: Carryout an assessment of what you were able to accomplish this year. It is a good practice to do a SWOT Analysis on yourself before the New Year. A personal SWOT Analysis provides insights based on your personality strengths and weaknesses, what challenges you see ahead of you, and what opportunities are present around you now and in the future. Self-Evaluation is the best place to start from while preparing for 2021.

Planning: Most of us are wishing for a better 2021 BUT how are we planning for it to happen? While wishing passes time planning on the other end makes the most effective use of time. Very few things in life happen on their own, you must put in the work. You must be realistic about where you are starting from, have an honest assessment of your current situation. The actions you took, and the actions you did not take, that contributed to you being where you are today. We need to make certain that our 2021 plan is solid enough that we do not lose control of yet another year.

“A good plan is like a road map: it shows the final destination and usually the best way to get there.”

Budgeting: This new context makes the familiar task of budgeting both more challenging and more imperative. It is hard enough to project financial results for the remainder of 2020, let alone setting new objectives for 2021. A budget connects your resource allocation to the priorities you have set. How can you budget for 2021, while keeping maximum flexibility, go after new opportunities when they arise, make the most out of your available resources, and keep maximum control of your finances? Managing money can be a difficult task regularly, but it can be near impossible when your income has been affected by the pandemic which has left millions unemployed, furloughed, or with salary reductions. Our finances have suffered as a result. Many of us need to look at our current expenses and find ways to save for the future until things pick up again.

Performance Review: The best way to accomplish our goals is by putting in place clear indicators to help us keep track of where we are before the deadline gets us off-guard. Break down the goal into sub goals which are manageable and easier to keep track of. For example, if your goal is to make $ 100,000 in the next 12 months, you should be making over $ 8,333 every month. To achieve this goal, your daily output should be making over $ 278. As best practice, to know that you are going to achieve your goals, you should always be near to completion halfway the duration. Thus, using the above scenario, by the 6th month you should have made over $ 80,000 to be assured of accomplishing that goal.

Use Apps: to Simplify Work and Become More Productive. Being "more productive" has taken on a much more personal meaning. What do you want to get out of being more productive? Ultimately, it should be about achieving goals and using your time in valuable ways. Productivity apps go a long way in getting work done, organizing your personal life, collaborating with others, and so much more. What are your Productivity Goals as we wrap up 2020? It could be keeping your job, spending more time with family, maximizing profits or hustling a passion project. Productive people get to determine how they want to live, and they take the necessary steps to make it happen. Productivity Apps can make this possible if you can determine from the million options out there what shall work for you and give you the best results.

Conclusion: There are always going to be bumps on the road to our dreams. But taking the time to arm yourself with a strong map for your future will increase your odds of traversing the challenges of navigating life’s endless uncertainties, in the words of Benjamin Franklin:

““By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”

If you have managed to read till the end, you can drop me a message in the form below and we both learn from each other. Let us grow together, it is going to take group effort to unravel the vast effects of the ongoing pandemic.

#InThisTogether
#LeavingNoOneBehind
#Finshing2020Strong

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