Well here we are. Another month (and…erm…an extra week) gone by. Time to face the music. ::winces::
Last month’s goals:
1. Finish my career coaching textbook and take the final exam.
I wanted to finish off the year with a bang, in a way that would springboard me toward my eventual attainment of a longer-term career goal: the starting of my own private career coaching practice. I ended up finishing my textbook in a single weekend (the weekend after Christmas and before New Year’s Eve), and planned to take the final exam on December 30. But when I was struck down with a stomach bug, I postponed things, wanting to be at my best when I finally did the deed. I eventually took the test on January 3. So it still counts! Right? 🙂 I await my score, and look forward to doing my practicum next, the last step (aside from a few more teleclasses) in earning my career coaching certification.
2. Draw up three web copywriting packages and promote them to CCI coaches, as a means of bringing in additional supplemental income.
Can I be honest and say I completely forgot about this one? ::sigh:: It’s still something I want to do but, looking at what’s on my plate, I think I’m going to table this one until February or March.
3. Design a new web platform that incorporates my blogging, copywriting, mag writing, copy editing/proofreading, and coaching, and then design matching business cards.
You can’t see it yet, as it hasn’t been built but, early last month, I drew out a detailed plan for a new web platform, including header design, pages/tabs, layout, color scheme, fonts, etc., and went over it with my web designer/developer (um, my husband). He wasn’t able to start work on it immediately, as he had a huge project to complete before January 1 (and I only pay with my lifelong commitment to him, rather than money), but we’re starting work on it tomorrow evening so that I can, at the very least order myself some matching business cards.
4. Write the intro for that flippin’ wine piece and get it off my plate.
Done! I await feedback, and plan on sending along a followup e-mail this coming Friday. I’ll let y’all know when it’s slated to run.
5. Rock my new copywriting project. That means a minimum of procrastination, missy.
It’s a large-scale, four-part project, and I’ve completed the first two parts (thank god). The third chunk of work is due later this month. The work is taking longer than expected, as the client is having trouble conveying his exact desires, but I fully expect to make it through alive. … Maybe.
6. Brainstorm some brilliant but low-cost xmas gifts for the fam.
Well, I wouldn’t call them brilliant, but I definitely held back this year. So what’s up for the month of January?
- Finish Phase 3 of this copywriting project with a minimum of angst.
- Make major headway with my new, professional web platform, and order me up some new business cards.
- Revive YourTango’s Love Buzz Twitter account. They’ve placed the account in my hands, and I hope to transform it into much more than an empty RTing of links. Help me out and join the conversation!
- Revive Inside YourTango. I have some great ideas for the blog, and am working on putting together a preliminary editorial calendar.
- Start my career coaching practicum. Stay tuned for more on this. I’ll be looking for clients who are willing to share their feedback with me.
- Achieve balance. Or. Um. At least move closer to it. I had a chat with my mentor coach today about leaving YourTango work at YourTango, so that I’ll still have time left over for my other work. (Not to mention my life.) I’ll also be experimenting with limiting my time on various social media platforms, so as to achieve greater efficiency at the office, eliminating the need to actually take my work home with me. This will be…hard. Wish me luck!
Leaving work at work is so hard. I don’t have to actually work from home much, but I end up bringing the stress of work home to my family. It’s a hard lesson to learn to leave it at the office. Good luck!
Who cares that you didn’t get goal #2? Because you rocked everything else! Congrats on having a productive December because in hindsight I don’t know why I try to accomplish anything but spend time with family in December…
The revival of Love Buzz Twitter should be interesting… sounds like a fun project 🙂
Achieving balance can absolutely be hard. It’s to get back on track for a few days, but if we’re not more conscious of the desired balance we can get off track pretty quickly. Especially with limiting social media time and making sure that the time you DO spend is maximized. Good luck though, and let us know if you have any tips along the way!
Congrats on December! Amazing what you managed to get done, especially considering that December has only 3 weeks (if you discount Christmas frenzy). So keep doing this good work, but don’t forget to relax a little in between. Like taking your husband for dinner without talking about work to do. Just one detached evening does wonders (and usually your subconscious will be working up some pretty good ideas anyway). So happy New year!
Good job! Articulating your goals and moving through them is still more progress that most can make. I do think setting small ones (getting individual pieces done) with your big ones (new platform) will help you stay on point. Also, good luck with balance. I think that’s something all of us are looking for.
I’m exhausted just reading all this! But good for you for setting concrete goals and achieving them, one by one. Just writing them down makes you accountable, I think!