It’s a Wrap

(I wrote this e-newsletter in January but somehow it didn’t make it onto my archive list. You’ll have to use your imagination as I refer to the beginning of the year!)

Hello Everyone!

We’re well into the new year now. How’s it going for you? I’ve always been energized by the promise of new beginnings; you too? What have you started this month that you plan to continue all year long?

The thing that really holds true for me this time of year is that there’s a renewed sense of hope. Hope that with a fresh start, just about anything is possible. So, once again, I’m focused on weight loss and like my friend quips, I’m on a ‘savings spree’. I hope this is the year that some of your wildest dreams come true too!

It’s a wrap!

Preceding each new beginning, there’s usually a marked ending.

As you continue to plan for 2011, some goals may appear so large and in the distance that they feel absolutely ominous. One way to sanely attend to them is to create and follow project time-lines. Become a Project Manager in your own life! Here’s an over-simplified example:

If, in December, you need to have your financial summaries ready for tax prep…
you’ll need to get your reports from your bookkeeper.

If, you need to get your reports from your bookkeeper…
you’ll have to send him/her your receipts and deposit slips monthly.

If, you need your receipts and deposit slips in order…
you’ll need to have written the clients’ name on them each time.

If, you need to identify the client on the deposit slip…
then, it would be handy to have a pencil and deposit slips in the car glove box!

Essentially you’re walking backwards from each large goal to identify the myriad of necessary steps to progress in the appropriate sequence. This discovery process may end up highlighting a seemingly insignificant ‘something’ – in this case, putting deposit slips in the car. These time-lines are also a very sneaky way to ward off procrastination because you’ve parceled out a large project into many tiny manageable steps.

By the way, did you take a look back over 2010 to see where you’ve been? There’s something about acknowledging the joys and the concerns, the successes and the difficulties on the path I’ve just walked that better prepares me to take on new challenges. It’s almost a gentle push that ensures I’m starting new adventures without any excess baggage. I’m going to try to journal a bit throughout the year so that at year’s end, I can accurately reflect on it.

I hope you feel good about each passing year. Consider taking time to congratulate yourself for jobs well done, games well played, life well lived. Well, heck. I’ll take the time to sing your praises now: Yeah Baby! Keep up the good work! Rock on! Atta girl/boy! Hoo-rah! Keep on truckin’! (Oops, I think I may have gone too far!) ;D)

Plan your work; work your plan!

Maureen Heinen
Send In Maureen, LLC