I’ve seen the joke, “January was a test run, let’s start the new year in February” and I can’t help but giggle (and agree!)
How many of you feel that pressure in December to not only wrap up your business on a high note, host the holidays with your crazy aunt Beatrice in tow and plan for a fabulous and successful new year?
{HANDS IN THE AIR – WAVE ‘EM AROUND LIKE YOU JUST DON’T CARE}
Here’s a little how my mind looks towards the end of the year:
-Oooo yum! I HAVE to try that caramel peanut brittle recipe I saw on Instagram.
-Must. Make. Dreamboard.
-Hmm, what is my word of the year?
-What am I going to get my teenage daughters this year??
-Ugh, tax time is coming.
Let’s be realistic. For me (and all of you with your hands in the air) January rolls around and while that motivation is high, it does feel like a lot of pressure to have it all together on January 1.
January isn’t the end all be all month for setting yourself up for success. Here’s how to set yourself up for success anytime of the year.

Outsource that shiz.

Look, I get that delegating your tasks can be a bit panic inducing. Your business is your baby and you don’t want anyone to mess it up.
But as tempting as it can be to be a total control freak, keep on your voiceover hat, it looks great on you. That video editing scarf? Not so much…
One of the best things I ever invested in for my business was a virtual assistant.
I know, I know. You’re thinking, “but it’s SO expensive, I’ll never be able to afford that.” But you have to think of it like this – the ones that invest, get more in return. Sure, it’s scary but guess what? I’ve been able to better my business, increase my exposure and get more done = more $$$.
Here is a list of some tasks that you can delegate today:
-Billing / invoices and follow-up
-Inbox
-Website updates
-Demo creation + edits. Yeah, I know you can do it – but give it to an expert.
-Hire a housecleaner. Spend $100 or 6 hours scrubbing your house. Your choice.
You deserve the help. Get into that mindset.

Make a plan.

Write it down. Make a plan.
You don’t need a fancy nancy planner (although I do love myself a good one!). A pen and paper or a Google doc works just fine.
What’s really been helping me is having a theme for the month. I use this theme for my blog posts, my newsletters and my social media. January’s theme? Everything Voiceover Achiever.

Streamline.

We often overlook all the things we do on a daily basis. If we’re working on something daily, it should definitely be simplified and as productive as possible.
Here are some examples:
-You keep all of your contact info in a spreadsheet. It works but it’s kind of out of control. Solution? It’s time to look into customer relationship management (CRM) software.
-Instead of checking your email every 20 minutes, give yourself permission to look 3-5 times per day.
-Automate social media. BUT, not everything. Have a big list of engaging questions you’d like to ask over time? Schedule them! Have a bucket load of inspirational quotes on a sleek backdrop? Automate them! While automating is great, be sure to check in daily and respond and interact in real time. Favorite tools for social media scheduling: Hootsuite, Facebook Scheduler, Grum.

Be flexible + patient.

To keep yourself motivated, take notice of what you’ve done and what you’ve accomplished.
It’s easy to get lost in the day by day tasks. But you know what? Those small tasks are all leading to something bigger.
And remember, it’s okay to be flexible. You might initially decide to put a lot of energy into one year, but midyear, you realize that strategy isn’t working as well as you thought.
Tip: I love having a handy dandy checklist next to me (I love a physical checklist but iDoneThis is pretty fabulous for a digital option)
The satisfaction of checking off what I did that day feels GOOD. Like reaaaaal good.

Was January a practice run for you? Share with me in the comments below!

Just take a breather. I know social media makes it appear that everyone has it together but newsflash, we don’t.
The year ahead is a journey. It’s never too late to get started on your goals.
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