This quarter is a completely different world than how we started the year. You may have set goals and resolutions as the new year started. You may have said “this year I will do more…” or “be more…” something. How can we adjust these goals and stay on top of the changing landscape?

I find it valuable to think of my goals in 90 day periods. I look ahead to the next three months and consider what I want to have achieved. The 90-day timeline is good for me in that it is enough time to complete something meaningful but not so long that I might feel comfortable putting anything off. This duration is a balance of capacity with urgency.

I have a sense of what I want to accomplish this year. Maybe I want to write more, deliver on some key projects, and connect with new clients. I look at my 90-day window and set specific goals that will enable me to meet my larger goals for the year. For example, this quarter I will write five new blog posts. This quarter I will attend two conferences and meet twenty new prospective clients starting at least one project with a new client. These 90-day goals are specific and achievable towards my larger aspiration.

One key aspect of looking at 90 days goals is deciding what you do not need to spend time doing. You may have aspirations this year that do not need to be started in the first quarter. Or you may not be in a position to tackle a particular goal just yet.

For example, with the current quarantine, I need to adjust for delayed conference attendance. At the same time, I am able to pull forward work on a new case study to prepare for the eventual marketing push. As you balance out your year you can focus on the important things each quarter and allow yourself to defer those tasks that are not yet a top priority.

You have aspirations for this year. You undoubtedly have had to rethink and adjust based on the changing economy. How do you re-evaluate and pace yourself with goals to allow yourself to focus?