If you want to be productive and actually have a chance at achieving your goals this year you need to have some habits in place to help you do that.

As someone passionate about helping therapists in Private Practice succeed, I've honed in on six habits that have significantly contributed to my own success. In this blog post, I'll share these habits and how they can empower you to accomplish your goals this year.

Time Blocking

Time blocking has been a game-changer for me since I adopted it in 2020. This technique involves meticulously planning out your day in blocks, encompassing everything from client sessions to personal tasks.

The first thing you want to plan is your must-dos, your non-negotiables. Maybe that’s childcare, maybe that’s your food shopping or a gym class, but you have to plan those first!

The next is your core work, the jobs that you are getting paid for. So for you, that's probably going to be seeing clients. If you’d like to see more clients than you currently do I would still block out that time but use it for networking, marketing or updating your website to help you get those clients onboard.

Then we have buffer blocks. These are for tasks that don’t make noticeable changes but need to be done, like inbox management. Schedule in two blocks of time in the day and then do not get drawn into dealing with emails or returning phone calls outside of that time.

You also need time for actions. I would suggest that you have one to three hours blocked off each week for you to do the things that are going to get you towards your goals.

And finally, we have a creative or a breakout block. This is a time where you're doing something for you that has nothing to do with your work, your kids, your parents, your husband, whoever it is in your life, it's just for you!

Strategies from The 12 Week Year

One of the best things I learned from the book The 12 Week Year is to set goals in a smaller time frame. The book obviously suggests setting the goals for 12 weeks and that works for me because I love planning on a quarter by quarter basis!

Life changes every quarter. For me, that has to do with school holidays as well as what my clients are doing and my own plans.

Then only set one to three goals a quarter. If you have too many goals, you're not going to be able to achieve them because your focus is being split too much. Be really clear on the action steps that you're going to take to achieve those goals and then make sure that you have blocked the time out to take the action steps to achieve them!

If you want to learn more about the 12 Week Year, how I’m incorporating it into my life and how you can you can watch this video all about it.

Google Calendar

I love my Google Calendar, so once I've done my time blocking I transfer the information over to it. Each week, you will have a block of time for your admin or a block of time for an action step towards your goal but that's not specific enough, you need to insert the exact tasks that you are going to do.

By transferring your time blocks and specific action items onto an online calendar, you gain the benefit of reminders and notifications, ensuring you stay on track with your commitments and objectives.

There are so many hidden gems in Google Calendar to help you be more productive and never miss an appointment. Check out this video to learn more about my favourite Google Calendar features.

Sunday Night Ritual

Establishing a Sunday night ritual sets the tone for me to have a productive week ahead. I check Google Calendar and see what I've got coming up. I'll also pick and sort the clothes I need for the following day so I'm not standing in my wardrobe when I'm tired and cold thinking about what it is I'm going to wear.

I'll then write my to-do list for the next day. I write my tasks in order, from the biggest thing to the smallest thing, because I'm going to have much more energy in the morning. That might not work for you, you might want to get into it really slowly and do some easy tasks and get loads of ticks onto your to-do list, which will motivate you to do that big thing.

I also check all of the inboxes that I manage on a Sunday night. That's going to help me add things to my to-do list if there's anything that I need to do urgently, then I don't check my inboxes again until the afternoon.

These rituals minimise decision fatigue and set me up for a smooth start to the week.

Outsourcing

Is there something in your business or your life that you can outsource so that you can actually do the big things? By outsourcing tasks like scheduling, administrative duties, or household chores, you free up valuable time to focus on tasks that make you money and help you achieve your goals.

I don't think people take into account that the time you're spending on things is your hourly rate. So if you charge £50 for a session and if you spend one hour a day doing admin work, it's going to cost you £50 a day!

You could outsource that to a VA who would charge much less than £50 an hour and you could then either see an extra client or you could get on with another task. And they'll also probably be quicker than you too because it's their area of expertise.

Accountability

I genuinely believe the reason I have got so much done is by having accountability. Before I had my PA, I would make up goals that I wanted for my business but I had no one to check in on how I was actually getting on with them.

When you work for yourself and no one's holding you accountable you are relying on your internal motivation and that can definitely wane over time. Having that accountability partner can really help you stay on track.

My PA asks me how I’m progressing with my goals and reminds me of what tasks I need to complete each week. It also motivates me to complete my tasks because I know she needs me to do so, so she can progress on hers.

Plus, I look forward to showing her what I’ve achieved! Having someone to share your wins and celebrate your victories with really does make them even better!

Conclusion

Incorporating these six habits into your routine can revolutionise your productivity and how you achieve your goals.

If you're eager to delve deeper into goal-setting strategies and accountability frameworks, consider checking out the Goal Getters membership, where we're committed to helping you realise your aspirations.

Here's to a year of purposeful action and remarkable achievements!

6 Essential Habits to Achieve your Goals this Year