Developing your focus for 2004
Sherry Borsheim

The start of a new year is a great time to reflect on the previous year, while gearing up for a fresh kick at the can. Now is the time to develop your focus and organize your priorities for 2004.

This January, take a moment to celebrate your 2003 achievements. What went particularly well? Why not write down three of your greatest wins for 2003? You should feel great about all you have accomplished!

After giving yourself a pat on the back for doing a good job in 2003, turn your focus to the new year ahead of you. During 2004 you will want to put to good use all the lessons you learned last year to create even bigger wins.

Use the list of your biggest wins in 2003 to remind yourself what really worked for you. Don't reinvent the wheel. As you plan for 2004, recycle those successful actions. Then think about what didn't work. Don't beat yourself up about past disappointments. Instead, learn from it and move on to 2004 with a clean slate.

As you prioritize for this new year, think about each area of your life - health and wellness, relationships, prosperity, personal growth, recreation and professional. What priorities or expectations do you want to place on each of these areas?

Take a few moments to get organized for the new year by putting into practice the action steps below. This will give you a road map for 2004, enabling you to focus on the activities that really matter.

Take Action:

1. Write down your top three priorities for 2004. What is most important to you?
2. What action steps will you need to take to achieve these priorities?
3. What will it cost you to not achieve these priorities? Can you afford not to take action?

About the Author

Sherry Borsheim, owner of Simply Productive, has been helping people to work smarter, not harder for years. She specializes in resolving paper, time and information management issues. To learn more about eliminating the paper pile-up and in vastly improving your productively, contact Simply Productive at 604-233-7076.