It’s a fact. Most of the New Year’s Resolutions that were made at the turn of the year have been abandoned by now. Fewer than half will make it to the six month mark.

If you’re struggling to keep the promise you made to yourself, here are a few steps you can take to get you back on track with your goals.

REALITY CHECK
Was the goal you set for yourself a little too lofty? Don’t abandon the thought completely. Instead, revise it to something more realistic and achievable.

BREAK IT DOWN
Big goals can be overwhelming and leave you wondering where to start. Break down your big goal into smaller steps and set short-term milestones to track your progress.

SHARE YOUR PLAN
Letting others know about your goal gives you a sense of accountability and another person to give you a nudge or words of encouragement when your motivation wanes.

Keep moving forward. You’ve got this. #MoveForwardMonday

It can happen in an instant. Your day is off to a great start and then something comes up and throws a bucket of ice water on your good mood and motivation.

It could be a last-minute request from a client that didn’t plan ahead or a wackadoodle social media post from a relative that doesn’t share your world view.

We’ve all been there, and we’ll be there again. But you have the power to turn things back around.

THE 90-SECOND RULE
When life throws you a curveball, instead of getting caught in a downward spiral, use the 90-second rule to get back on track.

First, acknowledge what happened and what you are feeling as a result of what happened.
Second, take note of your thoughts and remind yourself that you cannot control what happened, but you can control your thinking.
Finally, shift your thinking and align your thoughts with the energy you started your day with, and the goals you had for the day.

In 90 seconds or less, that pesky emotional trigger will have faded away, and you will be back on track.

We got this golden nugget from our recent podcast with licensed clinical psychologist, Dr. Dayle Lattie. Listen in for more great tips to help you build resilience and thrive in chaos.

Listen to S2 E07: The Wobizzle Podcast – The Psychology of Resilience: Tapping Into Your Ability To Thrive In Chaos.

Keep moving forward. You’ve got this. #MoveForwardMonday

We’ve all been there – working with a client that, for whatever reason, just isn’t the right fit. They may be perpetually pushy, mean, or just plain difficult to work with.

You don’t need that in your life. If you’re working with a client that is making your life hard, it might be time to tell them goodbye.

The way you go about firing a client can have an impact on your reputation, so do it carefully.

Don’t rush the decision. Finish all the work you owe the client if you can, and try to end things positively. There are exceptions to every situation, but it is possible to fire a client and remain in good professional standing with them.

Want a deeper dive? Head to our blog for How To Fire A Client: 8 Steps To Freedom.

Keep moving forward. You’ve got this. #MoveForwardMonday

You’re not a slouch, so try not to look like one. Turns out, your mom was right about sitting up straight. Better posture can contribute to more positive thinking, higher productivity and less neck and back pain.

But it’s not always easy to sit up straight when you’re stuck behind a desk all day. Our bodies simply weren’t built for long days spent in an office chair.

Do your body a favor by striving for better posture while you are working.

Set up an ergonomically sound desk space, and take stretch breaks throughout the day to give your body a break. Stand up at lease once every hour. While you’re at it – take a lap or two around the house. You’ll be glad you did.

Keep moving forward. You’ve got this. #MoveForwardMonday

Purging both paper and digital files on a routine basis can help save space and enhance your work space and computer efficiency. While certain legal and tax documents need to be kept permanently or for certain lengths of time, we’re sure you have plenty of files that could be purged on an annual basis – or even more often.

Ask yourself these questions when making decisions about purging non-essential files.

Do I really need to keep this?
Can I find this information online?
If I keep it, will I remember that I have it?
If I remember that I have it, will I be able to find it?
Purging files can take longer than expected. Instead of blocking out time to do the whole job, consider tackling the task in smaller chunks.

Keep moving forward. You’ve got this. #MoveForwardMonday

If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to be more active on your business social media platforms, we support you 100%. But we would like to recommend that you go forth with a strategy and don’t do too much, too soon.

If you’ve been neglecting your business social media for awhile, there are reasons for it. And those reasons did not disappear with the turn of the calendar. Don’t come out of the gates of 2021 full force only to find out in a few weeks that your enthusiasm is not sustainable.

Like any other resolution, it’s better to start small and build upon your successes. If you have been posting just a few times a month (or less), set a small goal of posting once a week. After you have been successful for a few weeks, consider bumping that posting schedule up to twice a week, and so on, until you reach your ultimate goal.

And, while we’re on the subject of posting frequency, always remember that quality transcends quantity.

Keep moving forward. You’ve got this. #MoveForwardMonday

That cell phone of yours is quite the marvel. It’s a computer in your pocket and it can do amazing things for you. But you know what else it is…a monumental distraction that routinely gets in the way of you being as productive as you could be.

It’s blocking your flow. And it needs to stop.

Show it who’s boss by turning it on silent and stuffing it out of sight for two hours. While you are at it, close out of your inbox and log out of social media for the same time frame.

In doing so, you will create a two hour block of time for you to get back in your flow and get stuff done that needs doing.

Keep moving forward. You’ve got this. #MoveForwardMonday

It’s hard to believe that we have just a little over a week left in 2020. Can we get a “huzzah!”?

We are going to follow our own self-care advice and take a little time off. We hope you will have an opportunity to do the same.

We’ll be back on January 4 to kick off a year’s worth of #MoveForwardMonday tips for 2021.

In the meantime, have a lovely holiday season. We’ll see you in 2021!

Keep moving forward. You’ve got this. #MoveForwardMonday

December can sometimes be a blur. Projects that have been moving at a snail’s pace all of a sudden get switched to warp speed mode as clients push to wrap things up before the end of the year, or worse yet, before they take off time for the holidays.

Oh, and there are the “pop up” projects – those requests that come in right about now, with urgent deadlines to be completed (and invoiced) before the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve.

All of these things may work in your favor, allowing you to finish the year on stronger financial footing.

But it’s been a tough year. You’ve worked hard and you’ve stood up to unprecedented challenges. We think you deserve some downtime.

So, as we sprint to the end of 2020, be sure to build in some time off for yourself. We know you’ve earned it.

Keep moving forward. You’ve got this. #MoveForwardMonday

We’ve all been there – that moment when a new client questions your pricing and tries to finagle a discounted rate. What should you do?

If work has been scarce, you may be tempted to take the project for lesser pay, but more than likely you will regret it.

In our experience, clients who pay the least (particularly those who push for lower pricing) are the highest maintenance. And giving in will likely set you up for a bad case of scope creep.

Set your rates with confidence based on a combination of:

• your research of what others in your market are charging for similar services,
• your years of experience, and
• your professional expertise.

Then, stand your ground when a potential client tries to negotiate.
You don’t have to be defensive. Simply politely decline the project, or ask them what their budget is, and let them know what can be done for that dollar amount.

There may be times when you want to be flexible in your pricing, but do it on your terms, when it’s right for you.

Keep moving forward. You’ve got this. #MoveForwardMonday