December 29th is "Still Need To Do" Day: Let's Turn it Upside Down and Focus on Long Term Goals
Naming a day "still need to do day" at the end of the year can cause serious anxiety for entrepreneurs.
Someone thought they were being funny by making December 29th officially our National "Still Need To Do Day" and I'm not laughing. This post goes live on December 27th, 2023 but it will live on, for future Decembers, as a post that gives you grace.
I'm going to give you 3 action items that will turn "Still Need To Do Day" into a day to look FORWARD into your future with positivity and motivation. It's all about the importance of long term goals, not short term freaking out.
Do NOT feel defeated or anxious worrying about what needs to "get done." Instead, as we end the year (or any day that you read this and feel slightly deflated), recharge, review, and relax... in any order.
(shout-out to Cyndi Zaweski of Ascent Storycraft for sharing inspirational prompts for creatives to morph into valuable content!)
Note: As a blogger, I use affiliate links sometimes! I may receive commission from purchases on links I share, but it does not change your price.
Image by Frauke Riether from Pixabay
Action item 1 for a National Still Need To Do Day: Look at the big picture.
What's the reason you wanted to leave 9-5 life, build a business, be location-independent and so forth? It certainly wasn't to ADD stress to your life.
Here's the beauty of being the architect of your life and your future: you are in charge. We've been conditioned to focusing on the end of December as a concrete deadline for everything... goals, projects, etc.
What if you continued moving towards your goals and evolved your business plan as needed?
You can.
- You can have a new idea in March or start a project in September.
- You can modify your business plan in April or ditch a project in November.
No one is forcing you to have your full year planned in January and all your accomplishments completed by December 31st.
Revisit your goals regularly. I use the Epic Blog Planner for my long-term goals as well as to track my work, store ideas, and review statistics- among other things!
I modify my short-term projects as I move through the year, learn new things, meet new people, and find what is or is not working along the way.
Long term goals are important; don't lose sight of them. When you keep your eye on the big picture, it helps you live in a way that is closer to being stress-free.
Image by Aleksander from Pixabay
Action item 2 for National Still Need To Do Day: Small consistent efforts move you forward.
Consider the effects of doing nothing vs. small consistent efforts, which have impact.
There are several posts in this blog that embrace the idea of taking action, big or small, to keep moving forward. The only way you don't move forward is by doing nothing. By feeling defeated and giving in to defeat.
Don't get me wrong: there are days you need to reset and recharge... but in my opinion that's not "doing nothing." Those days you ARE doing something: you're resetting and recharging. Which is important for being productive long term.
Recommended reading in this blog:
- The "brain dump" post. Click here.
- The "ditch all or nothing thinking" post. Click here.
- The "productivity from A-Z" post. Click here.
- The "benefits of taking action" post. Click here.
- The "shiny objects" post. Click here.
Recommended reading outside the Free At 50 blog:
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
Action item 3 for National Still Need To Do Day: Get the resources you need.
I've said it before and I'll say it again: invest in yourself and in your business.
- If you're stuck, ask someone for help.
- If you need a book, course, or training, buy it.
- If you need accountability, connect with coaches, mentors, or peers.
Closing it out:
Simply having a plan and creating a task list will go miles toward hitting your long term goals. Which are important!
By doing any of these action items you can calm your brain, be confident in having a strategy, and enjoy December 29th stress-free.
If you want to work together so I can help you hone in on the tasks you need done to accomplish your long term goals, use my booking page. My structured plan is not just for blogging, it can be customized! Type DECEMBER 29 into the booking notes!
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