Archive for Planning
Thinking Ahead for a Successful New Year.
Every year, in late December, I set aside a little quiet time to think.
I think about the coming year: what do I want to get done? and how do I actually do it? I start with a look backward–at last year. What were the surprises? What did I accomplish? And–here’s a biggie– what were some of those things I intended to do all year long…but didn’t get around to doing?
If you didn’t do a similar quiet time for yourself (and thinking ahead for your nonprofit organization), why not schedule a little time to do it before the end of January? To help get you in a proper frame of mind, I recommend you first look through an easy-to-read but very helpful book.
The book is: The Thinking Life: How to Thrive in the Age of Distraction by P.M. Forni. The author reminds us that our to do lists and “should do’s” will eat up a lot of our attention and energy. He presents some great insights and steps to things to help you move forward this year like:
- Exercise self-control
(Forni writes: “Self-Control..this ability is so important that it is widely valued in many diverse cultures”)
- Be proactive
(Forni: “…pay attention to evidence, evaluate it and have the courage to act upon it”)
- Let go of the things you cannot control
(Forni: Ask yourself…“How can I find a new balance that, although different…still works for me?”)
And finally, a biggie..
- Schedule daily “think time”.
Daily “think time” may be the best productivity tip of all for the year–both for you, for your nonprofit Board and your staff team.