Stop waiting for 2020 to end and start 2021 now!

Stop waiting for 2020 to end and start 2021 now!

Stop waiting for 2020 to end and start 2021 now!

You don’t need to wait for 2020 to end – you can start 2021 now. If you find yourself saying, ‘I can’t wait for everything to go back to normal’, then stop. We have a new normal, an unknown future and an ever changing world.

If you look up the definition of normal it reads: ‘conforming to a standard; usual, typical, or expected.’ Who would have thought these things are now normal – wearing a mask in public; online education; physical distancing; hand sanitising; working from home; Zoom meetings?

COVID-19 does not have a calendar, but we do

2020 has been filled with the unknown – 2021 could be the same! Shocking right? But how can we expect anything to go back to ‘normal’ with the year we have just had.

For some of us confronted with not only COVID but fires and droughts we could be excused for thinking it can’t get any worse. All of these events have created changes in our world that will linger for a long time.

COVID-19 is one of the few events in our lifetime that have impacted on the entire world. In so many ways we are so very lucky to be living on this island called Australia. For me, even luckier to be living in a country town that remained unimpacted directly from the disease and its repercussions.

But 2021 is not going to present us with a miracle. The future will bring solutions to some current issues – we might have a vaccine and international flights will return. However, the impact on business is going to take a long time to recover from. But it’s not all doom and gloom. If there’s one thing we have learned from COVID-19 – anything is possible. And if we can hold onto that sentiment as we move forward in 2021 amazing things can happen.

But don’t wait for 2021 – get planning and start 2021 now. ‘Goal setting theory’ aficionados claim that setting goals helps us focus our energy in a specific direction and helps us formulate strategies for overcoming any obstacles that get in the way of us achieving our goals. 

Here are some tips to get you going

First – take stock. Nothing better than some personal and professional introspection to see what we have done well and what needs work. Evaluation gives a benchmark from which to organise our goals and set targets.

Second – set targets. What do you want to improve on and achieve? 

Third – evaluate. Use your SMART goals to review your performance against your targets.

Setting targets to start 2021 now

  1. Make fewer assumptions. So many of our plans are based on our predictions and assumptions, data analysis and past trends. Set plans and goals with a future focus rather than relying on what happened in the past. It’s best to move forward adjusting our goals within limitations.
  2. Set goals. The ‘achievables’ (those you know can be done regardless of the world situation, like online study, hobbies, house projects, staying in touch with people). And the ‘desirables’ (for example, travelling, running a face-to-face workshop, joining Beyond Business Groups!)
  3. Identify what you have control over. All the rules and regulations have been telling you what you can’t do in your business. What you need to do now is look solely at what you can do. Let go of how things were or how they could be. Don’t spend time and energy worrying about what might go wrong. Instead spend energy on what you can control.
  4. Find the low hanging fruit. What is in front of your eyes that screams ‘opportunity’ for your business? What tactics worked for other businesses in your industry (locally or in other states) you can now implement?
  5. Focus on profitability. No matter the sales turnover, your profit as a percentage of sales is something worth focusing on. Where can you make revenue improvements or cost savings?
  6. Review your productivity. We can always get better at our systems and processes. Where can you improve time management, reduce wastage and build efficiencies? Do you need better tech or equipment to help?
  7. Communication. How would you assess your communication with all of your stakeholders? Have your key messages had to change? Will they remain or need to be adjusted again?
  8. Training. If you used your isolation to improve your skills, how can they be utilised in your business?
  9. Marketing. If you had to make changes to your collateral do they need to be readjusted to take in the current situation?
  10. Promotional calendar planning. Use our Beyond Business Groups promotional calendar for 2021 to schedule your promotions for the year.

SMART goals

Map all these out as SMART goals and if your brain operates like mine – you might want to create a visual diary/reminder – as a Pinterest page or a poster.

So, it’s not too late to get organised but it’s best to start 2021 now! And if you need some extra assistance you know where to find us. Beyond Business Groups helps you focus on all of these areas and more.

Find out more

Find out more about Beyond Business Groups here.

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