Episode 123: How to Make the Most of a New Month

Every month, it’s the same story: the new month arrives and we ask ourselves, “now what?” We can’t help but feel like there’s a need to do something, to make a change, to be productive. But what if I told you that business success isn’t about the “sexy” new strategies and tactics? It’s about the “boring” stuff.

It’s about planning and pivoting proactively. Business success is about creating a plan and sticking to it. It’s about having the discipline to create systems and routines of planning for the month, planning for the week, and being proactive.

This means setting goals and taking the necessary steps to achieve them. It also means learning how to pivot when the plan isn’t working and always going back to the big picture. It’s about reverse engineering things and constantly checking in to make sure that it’s working.

One way to be proactive is to use the three Ps of productivity: planning, pivoting, and end-of-day routines. Planning helps us to have more control over our income and our calendar. Pivoting allows us to make changes when the plan isn’t working. And end-of-day routines help us to be proactive and not constantly reactive.

In this episode, we give advice on how to plan and pivot in order to be successful in business. We talk about how important planning, creating systems and routines, and reverse engineering are to maintain a six-figure business. We advise against distracting yourself with new tasks and provide tips on how to detox, purify, and manage your calendar.

At the end of the day, it’s all about having the discipline to create systems and routines and sticking to them. The dollars are made when we have routines in place. Business is built in the boring. 

Delete the things that didn’t and don’t be afraid to pivot when needed. As the CEO, you are allowed to change your mind and say no to things. Once you’ve done that, it’s time to design your ideal week. Start with the personal stuff. Put in your morning routine, lunch, and family time. Block off weekends and make sure you’re done with work by 5 pm. Then, add in admin time, client work, sales, and business development time.

Once you’ve done that, you’ll have a much better idea of how much time you have to do other things. It’s important to remember that you didn’t start a business to run a business. You started it to do something you’re good at, make money and change lives. But, all the back-end stuff needs to be done too. Sales, admin work, finances, bookkeeping, budgeting, expenses, customer service, and more. If you don’t plan for all of this, you’ll be working 17-hour days and feeling burnt out. So, plan for the back-end stuff as well. That way, you’ll have time to do the things you love and still have a successful business.

Map out an ideal week and stick to it. Week over week, our lives are pretty predictable and we’re creatures of habit. So, make sure you’re designing your ideal week and sticking to it. That way, you’ll have a successful business and still have time for the things you love. Focus on the basics. When it comes to running a business, focus on the basics. It’s easy to get caught up in shiny new objects, strategies and offers. But the truth is, business is built in the boring. It’s built in the routines and the mundane and the systems and the processes. So, don’t get distracted by shiny new things. Instead, focus on the basics. 

Once you have your plan, it’s time to execute it. This is where accountability comes in. It’s easy to get distracted by the next shiny object, but you need to be held accountable. If you need help with accountability, find an accountability coach or join a virtual coworking space. Working alone sucks, so don’t do it. Instead, join a virtual coworking space and get more done in an hour than you ever could have alone.

Finally, create routines and systems to help you stay on track. Have a monthly planning session, and monthly recap session, and fill out a focus form when you need to be checked in on. Business is built in the boring, so don’t get distracted by shiny new things. Instead, focus on the basics and stay on track.

Resources mentioned in this episode: