Whether you’re a business owner, a student, or just someone ready to make some positive changes, there are practical steps you can take to prepare for the new year.
As the new year approaches, it’s a perfect time to reflect, reset, and plan for what’s ahead.
Here are some tips on how you can get organized and start the new year with confidence and purpose.
Reflecting on the Past Year to Prepare for the New Year
Before jumping into next year’s goals, take a moment to look back on the last 12 months.
What did you achieve? What didn’t go as planned?
Reflection helps you understand what worked and what didn’t, so you can learn from your experiences.
Think about the milestones you reached, the challenges you overcame, and even the lessons from your setbacks.
Celebrating your wins builds your confidence, while recognizing where you struggled gives you insights into areas for growth.
Set Your Goals to Prepare for the New Year
Once you’ve looked back on the past year, it’s time to set goals for the year ahead.
When setting your goals, try using the SMART method—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. This ensures that your goals are clear and doable.
For example, instead of saying, “I want to be healthier,” try setting a goal like, “I will go to the gym three times a week and cut out sugary drinks.”
Breaking your goals down into smaller, more manageable steps makes it easier to stay on track.
Create a Vision Board
A fun way to visualize your goals is by creating a vision board. This is a visual representation of what you want to achieve in the new year.
You can use magazines, Pinterest, or even a simple corkboard with images and words that inspire you.
A vision board helps keep your goals top of mind.
Whether it’s personal growth, travel, or career aspirations, seeing these images daily can motivate you to take the steps needed to turn your dreams into reality.
Decluttering to Prepare for the New Year
A cluttered space often leads to a cluttered mind.
Before the new year starts, take time to clean and organize both your physical and digital spaces. Whether it’s clearing out old emails or tidying up your office, decluttering helps you feel more organized and focused.
Go through each room, donate items you no longer need, and organize what’s left.
The same goes for your digital life—delete old files, organize your desktop, and clean up your inbox. A fresh start begins with a clean space.
Prioritize Self-Care
Self-care is not just a buzzword—it’s essential to your well-being.
As you prepare for the new year, make sure to carve out time for yourself. This could mean getting more sleep, taking up meditation, or simply scheduling downtime to relax.
When you take care of your physical and mental health, you’ll have more energy and focus to tackle your goals.
Self-care doesn’t have to be complicated; even small daily habits can make a big difference in how you feel.
Develop a Morning Routine
Starting your day with a solid routine can set the tone for a productive and positive day.
Your morning routine doesn’t have to be long or complicated. It could be as simple as spending 10 minutes meditating, enjoying a cup of coffee, or stretching before you dive into your tasks.
Experiment with different activities in the morning to see what helps you feel energized and focused.
A consistent morning routine can boost your mood, reduce stress, and keep you on track to reach your goals.
Create a Financial Plan
One of the most important steps in preparing for the new year is setting up a financial plan.
Review your current spending, income, and savings goals. Where can you cut back, and where should you invest more?
If you’re not already doing so, consider setting aside a portion of your income for an emergency fund or retirement.
Having a clear budget and financial goals helps you manage your money effectively and reduces financial stress in the new year.
Build Your Network
Networking can open doors to new opportunities and connections, whether you’re looking to grow your business or advance your career.
Make it a point to attend events, connect with people in your industry, and strengthen your professional relationships.
Building a strong network is about giving as much as receiving. Share your expertise, offer help, and build genuine connections.
You never know who might offer valuable advice, guidance, or opportunities in the future.
Learn a New Skill
The new year is a great time to challenge yourself by learning something new.
Whether it’s picking up a hobby, learning a language, or improving your professional skills, adding a new skill is always a good investment.
Take a class, read books, or follow online tutorials.
Not only will you gain new knowledge, but you’ll also feel a sense of accomplishment and personal growth.
Create a Plan for Personal Growth
The new year is the perfect time to invest in your personal development.
Whether it’s improving your communication skills, developing better habits, or simply becoming more self-aware, personal growth is key to long-term success.
Make a plan that includes specific goals for your personal growth.
Read books, attend workshops, and seek out mentors who can help guide you.
Remember, the journey of self-improvement is ongoing, and every step you take brings you closer to your best self.
If you’re ready to start planning for the new year and want personalized guidance to help you reach your goals, feel free to contact me today! Let’s work together to make the most of the opportunities ahead and set you up for success in the coming year.
As a small business owner, now is the perfect time to start setting goals for the new year.
Goal-setting is a powerful tool that can help you focus on what’s important, stay motivated, and track your progress throughout the year.
Why is it so important for small business owners to set goals now?
The start of a new year feels like opening a fresh notebook.
It is a chance to think about what you have achieved this year and what you want to accomplish next.
Setting goals is especially important for small business owners because it gives direction and purpose to your daily activities.
Without clear goals, it is easy to get lost in the day-to-day tasks and lose sight of the bigger picture.
By setting goals now, you can start the new year with a clear plan and a renewed sense of purpose.
Think about last year
Take some time to review what worked well and what did not work so well.
Look over the goals you set last year—did you achieve them?
If not, what were the obstacles?
Understanding your successes and challenges will help you set more realistic and achievable goals for the new year.
This look back allows you to learn from your experiences and make better decisions moving forward.
Set specific goals for your small business
Vague goals like “increase sales” or “improve marketing” are hard to measure and achieve.
Instead, set specific goals like “increase sales by 20% in the first quarter” or “launch a new marketing campaign by March.”
Specific goals give you a clear target to aim for and make it easier to track your progress.
The more detailed your goals, the more likely you are to achieve them because you know exactly what you’re working towards.
Make your goals measurable
This means setting goals that have clear criteria for success.
Maybe instead of setting a goal to “improve customer satisfaction,” set a goal to “increase customer satisfaction scores by 10% by the end of the second quarter.”
Setting measurable goals allows you to track your progress and see how close you are to achieving your target.
And by regularly checking your progress, you can make any adjustments to stay on track.
Set achievable goals
While it is good to aim high, setting goals that are too ambitious can lead to frustration and disappointment.
Consider your current resources, time, and capabilities when setting goals.
If you are a small business owner with limited staff, setting a goal to double your sales in six months might be unrealistic.
Instead, try setting goals that challenge you but are still within reach.
Achievable goals keep you motivated and prevent burnout.
Choose goals relevant to your small business
Your goals should align with your overall business objectives and values.
Let’s say that your main goal is to expand your customer base.
Then setting a goal to improve your product quality might not be as relevant.
Make sure your goals are aligned with your long-term vision for your business.
This alignment makes sure that every effort you make is pushing your business in the right direction.
Set time-bound goals
Giving yourself a deadline creates a sense of urgency and helps you stay focused.
So instead of setting a goal to “launch a new product,” set a goal to “launch a new product by June 30th.”
Setting a goal with a specific date will help you prioritize your tasks and help keep you on track.
Without deadlines, it is easy to procrastinate and let goals slip by.
Create a Plan
Break down each goal into smaller, manageable tasks.
For example, if your goal is to increase sales by 20% in the first quarter, your tasks might include identifying new sales leads, improving your sales pitch, and training your sales team.
Having a clear plan will make your goals feel more achievable and help you stay organized.
Review your goals
To help you stay on track, it makes sense to review your goals on a regular basis and track your progress.
Try to set aside some time each month to review your goals and see how you’re doing.
Are you on track to achieve your goals?
If not, what changes do you need to make?
Regularly reviewing your goals will help you stay focused and make any adjustments along the way.
As a small business owner, setting goals now for the new year is an important step in achieving success.
We are closing in on the end of 2023. Here are 7 essential steps to prepare for an amazing new year.
Now is the time to start preparing yourself and your business for the new year.
Yes, I said it.
The.
New.
Year.
In her email last month, Cindy Bidar talked about how NOW is the time to start looking towards 2024.
Why now?
Because, as Cindy says, the holidays are coming up and we tend to get ourselves wrapped up in preparation and celebrating and before you know it, BAM…it is the new year.
Cindy talks about how she is starting to plan out her 2024 now, and that is a good reminder for all of us to start preparing now.
Here are some 7 essential steps to prepare for an amazing new year to help get you moving toward 2024.
1. Reflect on the Past Year
Take some time to look back on the past year and reflect on your accomplishments, challenges, and lessons learned.
Consider what worked well and what could have been improved.
It really is only by understanding where you’ve been that you can better determine where you want to go.
2. Identify Areas of Growth and Improvement
We are all constantly improving and growing.
As a business owner, it is important to identify the areas where we can continue to grow and improve, whether personally or professionally.
Professional Development
Assess your skills and knowledge in your field.
Seek opportunities for growth and improvement, such as courses, workshops, or conferences.
For example, last month I attended Tawnya Sutherland’s VAVS Summit and gained valuable tips, tricks and information from the spectacular line-up of speakers Tawnya always puts together.
Look for these opportunities in your field and invest in your own education!
Personal Growth
Reflect on your personal life and relationships.
Identify areas where you can grow, whether it’s improving communication skills or fostering better self-care habits.
Health and Well-being
Evaluate your physical and mental health.
Take steps to improve your well-being, such as adopting healthier habits or seeking support from professionals.
3. Set SMART Goals for the New Year
SMART is an acronym for how best to set your goals.
Specific
Set clear and specific goals that define what you want to achieve.
Avoid vague or general statements.
Measurable
Create goals that can be measured and tracked, so you can monitor your progress and make adjustments if needed.
Achievable
Ensure your goals are realistic and attainable, considering your resources, time, and capabilities.
Relevant
Make sure your goals align with your values, priorities, and aspirations.
They should be meaningful to you.
Time-bound
Set deadlines or timeframes for your goals to create a sense of urgency and help you stay focused.
If you follow this formula, you will find that your goals will be very clear and concise, making it easier for you to actually achieve them.
4. Create an Action Plan
It may sound simple, but how can you get where you are going without a plan?
I always think about taking a trip when setting my goals.
Can I get from home to where I want to go and back again without a defined route?
Yes.
However, if I have a plan, I find that it just makes it easier to find my way there and back.
Here are some steps to help you create your plan of action.
Step 1: Define Your Objectives
Clearly state what you want to achieve with each goal.
Be specific and break them down into smaller tasks.
If I want to drive from the East coast to the West, I obviously am not just going to drive that in one shot.
I am going to have to make stops along the way.
Stops along the route=smaller tasks.
Step 2: Identify Actions and Resources
List the specific actions you need to take to reach your objectives.
Identify the resources you’ll need along the way.
I might determine where the best places are to stop between East and West coasts.
Rest stops, gasoline, etc.
And some type of guidance, whether an old-fashioned map or my GPS.
Step 3: Set Priorities and Deadlines
Arrange your tasks in order of importance and establish deadlines for each one.
This will help you stay organized and focused.
Unless you have unlimited time on your hands to travel from East to West, you will need to establish how long you will be gone.
Then determine when you need to be at each location as well as your destination before starting the return journey.
These 3 steps will help you, regardless of the goal, get you to where you want to end up.
5. Establish Accountability Measures
“Accountability is the glue that ties commitment to the result.”
– Bob Proctor
It is easy enough to set a goal.
It is not always so easy to hold yourself accountable, so you will want to find ways to track your progress and stay motivated.
Consider involving a trusted friend, mentor, or coach who can provide support, guidance, and hold you accountable to your goals.
6. Practice Self-Care
Make your well-being a priority.
Take care of your physical, emotional, and mental health.
Engage in activities that bring you joy, manage stress, and recharge your batteries.
Remember, you can’t pour from an empty cup.
7. Celebrate Successes Along the Way
Take time to celebrate the milestones and successes you achieve throughout the year.
Reward yourself for your hard work and progress made.
And share your wins with others.
Invite those who have supported you on your journey to celebrate your wins together.
Their encouragement and acknowledgment will fuel your motivation!
As we head toward the holidays and the end of the year, start preparing yourself for next year with these 7 essential steps to prepare for an amazing new year.
You will find that the holidays will be much more enjoyable when you are not thinking in the back of your mind about what you need to plan for next year while you are celebrating with friends and family.
And as always, if I can be of any assistance, please just drop me a message.
Most small business owners today know that they need administrative help but are not sure whether they should hire an employee or a Freelance Admin.
Welcome back to the GinAdmin blog. My name is Gina Koran, and I will be your hostess today as we talk about the differences between hiring an employee and working with a Freelance Admin.
So grab your favorite beverage and enjoy…
You know you need help for your small business, but…
Would it be faster to do it yourself versus having to train someone to do the tasks?
Where do you even start?
And really… do you even have ENOUGH work to keep someone busy?
Most small business owners eventually get to this point – they KNOW they need help, but is it really worth it?
And how do they know whether they should hire an employee or a Freelance Admin for their small business…or even if they need either?
Employee or Freelancer Admin?
You need help, but not sure if you should hire an employee or a Freelance Admin?
One of the questions I get asked a lot is “What is the difference between hiring an employee and working with a Virtual Assistant?”
Check out these differences:
A Freelancer or Virtual Assistant already has their own equipment; you must provide equipment for an employee.
Freelance Admins have their own office space; you will need to provide the space and furniture for an employee.
Freelancers provide their own insurance and retirement; you (if you are going to provide them) will need to find and (at least partially) pay for these benefits for an employee.
You only pay a Freelance Admin for tasks completed or for the time they worked to complete your tasks; with an employee, you’re going to pay them for the fixed number of hours you hire them for.
Freelancers do not waste time as they have other clients that they are supporting; employees tend to take restroom breaks, lunch breaks, checking social media, texting…all on YOUR time.
Most Freelance Admins have specialized skills and will pay for enhancing those skills themselves; with an employee, you are going to pay for those additional trainings through either actually paying for courses and/or the time it takes the employee to go through that training.
Another benefit of having a Freelancer is that they can provide extra support during your busy times, as well as while others are out of the office, on vacation, etc.
So, now that you know the difference, let’s take a look at how a Freelance Admin can help you and your small business.
Time
A Freelance Admin can work as many or as little hours as you need them to.
You can also “purchase” a block of a Freelancers time for the work you need done.
One key is that finding an admin that is already familiar with your industry means less training time.
Simply show them how YOU like things done, and voila…training done.
Where do small business owners find Freelance Admins?
Today, there are SO many sites you can go to to find your perfect match.
My friend and mentor, Tawnya Sutherland over at VA Networking has a truly kick-butt Job Board where you can post your opening(s).
Tawnya also recently started a board for her massive network of VAs to list their skills, allowing business owners to search for that perfect VA!
I encourage you to head to VA Networking and see if Tawnya’s network has your match!
What can small business owners delegate to a Freelancer?
When you consider whether or not you have enough to keep someone busy, I suggest a quick test.
Take a look at your day today.
How much time are you spending…
Answering emails that ask the same questions every day.
Keeping tabs on similar businesses to see how you stack up.
Researching your industry’s standards and what’s new.
Determine the tasks you can delegate when your small business hires a Freelance Admin.
Writing a blog post to keep your clients updated on what’s going on with your small business.
Figuring out what to post on Social Media…
Then creating the wording…
And finding the perfect image.
Track your time for ONE day. One day of admin tasks.
Then figure out how much money you lose every day by focusing on those admin tasks versus your true money-making tasks.
I have a small business owner that hired me, well for many things, but one was to schedule his business’ social media posts each week.
This task takes me approximately two hours every Friday – just to schedule the posts.
That doesn’t include the additional time each week that I spend looking at his competitor’s websites and social media,
Coming up with new ideas for him to get new customers,
And creating new, exciting, eye-catching and scroll-stopping images and posts.
The literal HOURS I’ve saved him every week have allowed him to focus on expanding his marketing.
As well as other money-making areas that require his attention.
It has also allowed him to take some much-needed down-time with his family.
All because he knows he can rely on me to take care of those tasks each week.
Still not sure which, if either, is the right path for your small business?
Maybe you do not actually need an assistant yet?
You may just need to adjust a few things you are already doing to make them more efficient.
Just doing this alone may assist in saving time.
I would love to help you make the decision…
I can help you decide IF your small business should hire an employee or a Freelance Admin!
The decision on whether you should hire an employee or a Freelance Admin.
Head over to my contact page and let’s see if a Freelance Admin is the right fit for you!
As always, thanks for taking time to read my coffee-induced words.
And as a personal P.S., I want to thank those of you who have reached out and kept in touch with me about the “Life Happens” events going on here.
I appreciate all of you more than you can possibly imagine!
Until next time, my friends, stay happy, healthy and safe!
If you are like me, you struggle to keep up with everything and always feel like you are running behind. I have found some super helpful time management tips for you, my fellow busy small business owners!
Welcome to, or back to the GinAdmin Blog. My name is Gina Koran and I will be your host today as I share with you some of my coffee-induced thoughts and ideas.
So grab your mug…this is a good one!
Managing your time
There are only so many hours in any given day.
You cannot store it.
You cannot borrow more for later.
And depending on where you are in your life cycle, you may have other responsibilities as well.
Family, housework, yardwork, kids’ activities…maybe you’re even still working a 9 to 5, so your time is spread thin.
The good news?
You can decide what you spend your time on.
Naturally, you want to spend your time on things that add value to your life.
But life is so busy today, how can you possibly have time for those things that matter the most to you?
Luckily, there are loads of time management techniques that are tailor-made for busy people, especially small business owners!
Ideas that will help simplify how you work, ensuring that you get tasks done more efficiently and giving you more time for whatever you choose.
Now, obviously not all of these will work for you. But I hope that at least one gives you time back in your busy schedule!
1. Organize your small business time around your energy levels.
Your productivity levels are directly related to your energy levels, so schedule your hardest tasks for when your energy levels are at their highest.
Any low-value tasks that require little energy, such as responding to emails, can be scheduled for the times when your energy levels are lower.
I know that my most productive time is first thing. Well, first thing AFTER my first cup of coffee.
So any hard task I may have for the day, I do that first (after the coffee).
Plus, when you start the day off by completing your most important tasks, you will give yourself a boost of momentum and a real sense of accomplishment.
2. Prioritize tasks by days or times.
Time management tip: write down the 3-5 most important tasks you must complete tomorrow.
When every task is a priority, nothing is.
Maybe start by trying to do one task per day.
As you get more consistent and start getting that one thing done faster, you can try adding another task each day.
You can also use a calendar app like Google Calendar to track your daily activities.
I’ve talked before about my calendar – it looks like a kindergartner took their crayons to it.
All I have to do is glance at my calendar, and I know what task is next!
Make a plan for the day.
Before you go to bed, write a to-do list for the next day.
I know I’ve talked about this before as well. Before I head to bed each night, I make a list of my top 3 or 5 tasks that MUST be done tomorrow.
When you plan ahead, you are mentally preparing yourself for any challenges you may face.
This will also help to limit procrastination at the start of the day and ensure that you work faster and more efficiently.
3. Don’t try to do too much at once.
If you try to do too much, you will end up doing nothing well.
Instead, try focusing on one thing at a time.
This will help you stay organized and avoid getting overwhelmed.
What I found was that I was constantly jumping from one task to another, taking longer to accomplish anything at all.
Now, I start a task, finish a task, move on to the next.
This doesn’t always work, naturally.
There may be information I’m waiting for from a client.
Or I may have to stop for an appointment.
The point is, try to finish a task once you start it.
4. Break down your small business projects into smaller chunks.
Breaking bigger projects down into small chunks will allow you to accomplish more in less time.
It is easier to complete a task when it is broken down into smaller parts.
It also helps you to avoid overwhelm at the beginning of a project.
5. Outsource smaller business tasks.
You don’t have to complete every task yourself.
Especially those low-priority tasks.
Sometimes it is better to outsource these tasks, so you can focus your attention on the more pressing tasks.
I have a client that CAN do social media. And has done them herself since starting her business.
But as any small business owner knows, there are so many tasks that need taken care of every single day.
And they can start to take over your day.
My client who CAN do them—she looked at what she was doing and found that so much of her time was spent on social media that she was neglecting the money-making tasks that also needed done.
Today, she does some of the social media tasks – the ones that require her to personally take care of.
The rest? She’s outsourced to a Freelancer – that would be me!
Win-win for both of us. She focuses on the business she loves and I happily swim through those social media tasks each day.
6. Cut out distractions.
When you are distracted, it can take a while to get your focus back.
This can greatly limit your productivity.
Consider turning off the notifications on your phone.
Time management tip for small business owners: cut out distractions.
Invest in a pair of headphones.
I LOVE mine!
I can put them on, whether I’m listening to anything at all or not – and they block out all outside noise, allowing me to focus much better.
Because, of course I love shiny objects and am easily distracted by them!
Browsing social media is a big distraction and should really be avoided if you want to increase productivity.
For social media, I usually only check my own at the end of the day.
And even then, I set the timer on my phone. Otherwise…shiny objects!
7. Realize that things don’t need to be perfect.
It’s easy to get caught up in trying to make everything perfect.
However, perfectionism will slow you down and could result in deadlines being missed.
If so, absolutely focus your energy on ensuring it is right.
If not, give yourself a bit of a break. Not one single person walking the Earth today is perfect!
8. Take regular breaks throughout the day.
Time management tip for small business owners: take regular breaks.
If you work at a desk job, take frequent breaks throughout the day.
This allows your body to relax and rejuvenate.
Taking short walks during lunchtime or taking a quick nap after lunch can help too.
I go walkabout with the pupper.
He, in fact, insists on going walkabout.
Sometimes I have to remind myself that going walkabout benefits both of us – especially if I am right in the middle of a project and have been sitting far too long when I get that nudge!
So, those are my time management tips for small business owners.
Again, not ALL of these will work for you.
Maybe none will.
But I hope you will find at least one that does.
Once you find those that work best for your situation, I encourage you to use them daily.
Your productivity will increase, and you will save precious time in your busy life, giving you the time to do what matters most to you.
Do you have some time management tips for small business owners to share?
Feel free to drop them below – I’d love to hear more ideas!
And if you need to free up some time in your day, consider working with a Freelancer!
Until next time, my friends…stay happy, healthy and safe!
Have you ever found yourself angry with YOU because something you’ve worked so hard at isn’t just exactly perfect?
No? Just me? Hmm.
Today, we’re talking about perfectionism and some ideas my coffee-saturated brain has on overcoming perfectionism.
Perfection is highly desired, so perfectionism must be good, right?
It seems like our society applauds being a perfectionist.
It’s made out to be a good thing in all forms of popular media and across social media.
Except for the fact that true perfection isn’t possible.
Sure, there are traits perfectionists have that are good things.
Drive, ambition, the desire to improve. Lofty goals and the dedication to work hard to achieve them. A desire to be the best you can be.
All of these things are absolutely good character traits.
The problem is that perfectionism takes all of these and pushes them to toxic levels.
Even “great” becomes “not good enough” and every goal achieved, no matter how lofty, must be succeeded by an even harder goal.
Accept it as part of your personality.
If you’re struggling with perfectionism, know that you can get move beyond it and live a much healthier and more rewarding life.
You just have to work hard at making progress over your perfectionism.
You CAN do this. And the outcome will be more than worth it!
So, are YOU a perfectionist?
Perfectionists tend to set unrealistic goals for themselves and others.
Here are some common characteristics of perfectionists. If you recognize yourself in this list, you probably are a perfectionist.
Perfectionists Set Unrealistic goals.
Do you want everything to be perfect?
Do you set standards so high that even Superman would have trouble meeting your expectations?
It’s these impossible-to-meet standards that lead to frustration and anxiety.
You are Extremely Critical of Yourself and Others.
Because you want to meet those high goals that you set and/or expect others to set them, you are hard on yourself and others.
Especially when mistakes or “failures” happen.
You might berate yourself or others or get angry when things don’t turn out as you expect.
Perfectionists Tend to Only Focus on Results.
Do you enjoy the journey towards reaching a goal?
Or are you so focused on achieving the goal that the process doesn’t matter?
Growing and learning along the way is often the best part of reaching a goal, but if you can’t see anything except the goal itself, you’re probably a perfectionist.
You Have a Huge Fear of Failure.
Are you terrified of failing?
Does the thought of making a mistake make your blood run cold?
Do you have nightmares about failing to live up to your own expectations?
Fear of failure pushes most perfectionists to work even harder and faster to avoid the dreaded outcome.
Perfectionists Have All-or-Nothing Thinking.
You believe that if it is not perfect, it does not count.
Let me give you an example of perfectionism.
We live on a 100-acre farm. As with most farms, we have a VERY long driveway.
A few years ago, we decided that we wanted to line the bottom (we live on top of the hill) of the driveway with Dogwood trees.
And we wanted to alternate them, pink and white.
Off we go to get our tress, relying on the employees at the place to give us 12 WHITE and 12 PINK dogwood trees.
Naturally, some of the pink…are white.
And they’re not ALL trees. Some of them are Dogwood BUSHES.
Most flowers on Dogwood trees are rounded.
Several of ours are pointed. Those are the Dogwood bushes.
Move forward a couple of years when the trees start to bloom.
Overcoming perfectionist tendencies can be hard, especially when out of your own control!
Instead of alternating colors, we have three or four of the same color in a row.
And the flowers are different on some of them.
Cue the perfectionist.
Colors must be alternated.
Bushes must be swapped out for trees.
Yikes! This is going to be a lot of work.
OR we can let them grow where they are.
We also found that the white bloom before the pink. Most of the white flowers are gone before the pink pop.
Who’s going to know?
Well, being perfectionists…WE will know.
Now, in case you’re wondering…no, we didn’t dig out the offending “wrong” trees and toss them.
Remember…100 acres. The ones we did replace have found happy, new homes elsewhere on the farm.
Some stayed put, because we’re working hard to overcome our own perfectionism traits!
And guess what…not one single person has EVER commented about the fact that there are more white dogwood trees than pink lining our driveway!
It’s quite likely no one has even noticed this phenomenon!
Perfectionism isn’t all bad.
It may seem that way, given the negative effects that it can have on a person and their life, but that may not be so.
Perfectionists share many positive traits that are highly desired and lead to success in life.
The problem occurs when these traits are taken too far and become toxic.
Jeeze, where’s the positive?
Well, here are a few of the positive qualities most perfectionists share.
They Have Big Dreams and Drive.
Perfectionists share a passion for lofty goals and the drive to work for them.
This is an incredible thing.
Many people never even consider setting the kind of goals a perfectionist takes for granted.
This gives perfectionists a much better chance of succeeding in life.
Perfectionists Are Driven to Excellence.
There’s nothing wrong with having standards, and that’s what perfectionists excel at.
Perfectionists often perform better and create better end products because they have such high standards.
They Are Very Dedicated to Completing a Task.
It is hard to find someone more dedicated to reaching a goal or succeeding than a perfectionist.
Perfectionists as a whole tend to work harder and longer than most to achieve whatever they set their minds to.
Perfectionist give over-attention to detail
They can become almost single-minded in their pursuits.
The desire to achieve can move them to think outside the box, increasing the odds of success.
Perfectionists Are Extremely Detail-Oriented.
The desire for perfection lends itself to paying attention to the small things, and perfectionists tend to be detail-oriented people whose sharp eyes will pick up on flaws, glitches, and other hard-to-spot details that most people miss.
They Refuse to Accept Failure.
Many perfectionists don’t know when to give up, or even if they should.
This stubbornness often leads them to achieve incredible breakthroughs in their field, whether it is in sports, science, medicine, etc.
Each of these qualities is a good thing, and no one thinks you should give them up in your quest to overcome perfectionism.
They’re part of who you are.
Too much of a good thing becomes unhealthy, however, and your challenge as you struggle to make progress over your perfectionism is going to be to rein in the good things about being a perfectionist just enough that they are healthy and helpful rather than a problem.
Mistakes Don’t Make You a Failure.
No one likes making mistakes.
This is especially true for perfectionists. You want to do everything perfectly.
When something goes wrong, it may feel like the world has ended and that you’re a failure.
But mistakes and failure aren’t the same thing.
Even if something you tried to do didn’t work, even if it “failed” spectacularly, that is not the same thing as failure, nor does it MAKE you a failure.
Good is the enemy of great. But perfect is the enemy of everything.
Remind yourself that whatever the mistake was, it does not reflect on who you are or on your worth as a person.
Admit the Mistake.
It might be tempting to pretend the mistake didn’t happen, to brush it off like it was nothing important.
This might salvage your bruised your ego, but you won’t learn anything.
Figure Out What Went Wrong.
Do you know what caused the mistake?
Why did it happen?
What led to the issue in the first place?
Was it something you did?
Something you didn’t do?
Were there causes beyond your control?
Try to determine the root cause of the issue.
What You Can Learn from the Mistake?
Mistakes might be painful, but every mistake is an opportunity to learn and grow as a person.
If you just step back and take a look at the mistake, figure out the cause and see what lessons you can learn, you can then apply those lessons in the future so that you don’t make the same mistake again.
Perfection isn’t possible, but self-improvement is!
Start Each Day Fresh.
Every day is a brand-new day.
Don’t dwell on the mistakes you made yesterday, the things you didn’t get done, the bad (or even the good) things that happened.
Every day is completely new.
It’s a 24-hour gift just for you.
Start each day as if it’s new and fresh and no other days have happened, and you’ll free yourself of much of the stress that comes from undone tasks and past mistakes.
Focus on the Process, Not the Results.
Remember that having goals is great and is good for everyone, but it’s not the most important part of trying to reach the goal!
The process is much more important than the end result.
Instead of focusing on the amazing progress that you’ve made, or the results that you’ve achieved, you focus on what you didn’t do or what didn’t go just right.
Learning and growth all occur while you are striving to reach the goal, not when you actually reach it.
Redirect your mind to the process when you catch yourself focusing on the end result.
Focus on the work you are putting in and not the results you hope to achieve, and you will go further than you’ve ever imagined.
Reward yourself when you overcome perfectionist traits!
Reward Yourself.
Who doesn’t like being rewarded? Our brains love it.
They are structured to respond to rewards-the more immediate and the more desired, the better.
How can you use this in your quest to overcome your perfectionism?
Set rewards for yourself for doing (or not doing) specific behaviors.
These should be specific rewards that you love, that you have easy access to, and that you can have immediately.
Those of you who know me or have been following my blogs the past few months know that I am a coffee-holic.
So, when I want to reward myself…COFFEE!
Try New Things.
The drive to be perfect all the time can make it hard to try something new when you know you are not going to be perfect at it from the start.
The way to overcome this problem isn’t to avoid trying new things.
The best way to overcome it is to try new things more often.
In fact, make it a habit; aim to try several new things every month.
Your mind will become accustomed to being a beginner and will help you get out of the habit of expecting perfection (or even excellence) the first time you do something.
Look at your progress and what you’ve done.
Maybe things haven’t changed too much, but they certainly have changed.
Take a good long look at where you are and where you started, and you will see the changes!
You may not be you want to be yet, and you’re not making progress as fast as you would like, but guess what?
That’s okay.
Nothing good gets completed in a hurry (remember that old saying about Rome?) and you can’t change a lifetime worth of habits overnight.
Small steps are the way to go.
The smallest baby steps add up over time and will completely change your life.
It takes patience and dedication, but it is much easier to remain committed to small changes than to try and make giant leaps!
May Busch, EXECUTIVE COACH, SPEAKER, ADVISOR, AUTHOR, ENTREPRENEUR has some additional, great tips on overcoming perfectionism – check out her article!
So start to recognize it in your own behavior, and experiment to find the ways that work best for you to apply it only in those situations when it’s needed. That way, you can make the tendency toward perfect work for you, not against you.
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