You guys know I am ALL about accountability and check-ins when it comes to working on goals. I think they are so key for growth and making sure the things we’re working on actually still align with where we want to go. Plus, as cliché as it sounds, it’s important to remember that working on your goals is more about the journey than just the destination. When you decide you want to work on your goals you’ve made a commitment that you’re choosing a life of growth and hese check-ins are so helpful in keeping you on track.

Today I’m going to walk you through the framework that I use each month to look ahead, get intentional and set myself up for success. I’ve also included a free worksheet at the bottom of this blog post if you’d like to give the process a spin for yourself too.

Motto or Word of the Month

This is a pretty popular technique and it’s one I love because it allows me to set a tone for my upcoming month. Sometimes I’ll pick or more energized word or motto like drive, or momentum and other times my focus will be rest or reset. Sometimes a single word doesn’t totally represent my mood so instead, I’ll go with a phrase like “get shit done!” or last month I embraced my inner Kacia Fitzgerald and picked “do the damn thing!”

Top 3 Monthly Goals

While of course, I have bigger goals I’m working towards, I like to narrow things down to the top 3 things I want to get accomplished this month. For me, I’ve found writing down a huge laundry list of goals is the fastest track to failure so I like to only focus on 3 things instead. This allows me to really prioritize, which then carries into my weekly and daily activities.

Reminder of the Bigger Picture

The next section I check-in on, is how my monthly goals and the other things I’m working on support my bigger picture goals. Personally, I like to always have the big picture front and center so I know exactly what I’m working towards. This is a great way to really start to understand how small wins propel us and help us grow over time too.

Habits & Routines

This one is BIG! Habits and routines are really the backbone when it comes to making progress on your goals. That’s because there aren’t a lot of things we can do just a couple of times and hit our goals. So in this section, I’ll identify different habits or routines that I am making a priority for this month. Sometimes this section stays the same month-to-month ( if it’s something I’m continuing to work on) and then other times I’ll introduce something new.

A really valuable tactic when it comes to developing routines and habits is starting small and then piggybacking off of other tasks on things you’re already used to doing. For example, brushing and flossing before bed is a no brainer for me... it’s something I’ve done for years. If I just got some new face moisturizer and using it before bed before has been a struggle before, I may try to put it out next to my toothbrush so that I don’t forget. The stronger your routines and habits get, the more things you can start adding until they all just become things you naturally do.

Distractions I Need to Nix

This one is really important too. We all have the same amount of hours in the day, but the way we prioritize our time makes all the difference in what we accomplish. So if you want to start reading more or start a new workout routine then that time is going to have to come out of somewhere else. In this section, I try and identify different things I want to give LESS attention that month.

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Efforts I Made Towards my Goals

Then the last two sections are actually things that I fill in throughout the month. The first is making note of the different efforts I made towards my goals. This one is important for me because there are a lot of goals that are very much long-term goals and I’m not going to actually hit them for awhile. Or things that I need to put in a lot of effort before I’ll see real results. Having this section really helps me acknowledge the efforts I’m making and stay motivated. Another reason I do this is because sometimes life happens and you may be slacking some and realize you’re 3 weeks into the month and you haven’t made any moves that support your goals. Back to that accountability thing!

Wins & Milestones

Last but not least, I keep track of wins or milestones that happen throughout the month. A lot of which I’ll then share on my Instagram check-in updates! These are a step beyond the efforts I’ve made because these are actual results. So for example, if I want to work on my public relations strategy and be featured in the media more, an effort would be pitching x, y, and z publications, whereas a win, would be if I was actually featured in one.

I love this section because it reminds me how much you can really accomplish in one month plus it’s also really a gratitude check-in too. Life can seriously pass us by so fast and this section really allows me to reflect on life in real-time and be thankful for all that I have.

I hope you guys have found this helpful! I think it’s also important to note that my process has evolved a lot over the years and is a combination of a lot of things I’ve tried. So don’t be afraid to adjust it and make it your own!

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Could you use a little support with this process? I created a monthly goal planning worksheet to walk you through it step-by-step!

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD YOUR COPY

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Can I be honest? I can really suck at resting. 

Maybe that sounds a little weird while we’re in the midst of a pandemic that has limited a lot of the things we can actually do. Even before this time though it’s been something I’ve been working on for a while. Sitting still is tough for me. And when I do, my inner critic eats me alive for not checking off the 5 other things I had on my to-do list for the day. Dang, my inner critic can be a pain in my booty! Enneagram 1 problems.

Here’s the thing though, rest shouldn’t be something that’s looked at like it’s optional. It’s not something we should feel bad or guilty about. Yet, in a world of all of the hustle and bustle and doing more, it’s something that has been advertised as a luxury and not a necessity.

Let me remind you that that’s crap! We ALL need rest. It may look different for each of us, and even different during different chapters but we ALL need it. Rest and time doing a whole lotta nada is what actually fuels us the rest of the time. So don’t forget to make time for it.

I’m definitely a work in progress (aren’t we all) but there are a few things that have helped me that I wanted to share in case they can help you too.

Scheduling time for Rest

Okay, maybe this sounds weird at first. You’re telling me I need to schedule my rest time?! While it might not be for everyone, putting days in my calendar has been really helpful for me. Things are a little different right now because there’s a lot we can’t do. Even still, what I do is plan out “Anna Days” on my calendar which are days I make no other plans and prioritize downtime. This is something small, (I started with just one day a month) but I swear just having them in my calendar gives me ease knowing I have some downtime set aside.

I understand most people don’t have this option, but this summer we went from working half-days on Fridays to taking the full day off at Bold & Pop and that has been amazing too. Typically I use the day to work on my blog and Get Your Goals program, but I also set aside time to recharge. Sleep in a little later, get a workout in and take a long walk with Benji. Even if you’re not a business owner though, maybe you should consider taking a random day off here or there. Truth be told, Americans are notorious for not using vacation days so if you have PTO consider putting in a day here or there just dedicated to rest! So many of us only take days off when we have actual plans, but mental health days can be really impactful too. As a biz owner, I’m super jelly of people with PTO too so make use of that!

No matter which route you go with, another thing to consider is that this scheduled time doesn’t even have to be a full day either. You can also just set aside a block of time for recharging activities throughout your day. It’s definitely something I also do! Like I mentioned, rest means different things to each of us and we all need different amounts. It’s up to you to figure out what you need and then try and put it on your calendar so you make sure you prioritize it. I’ve found it’s a lot easier to plan ahead and work around that schedule than just winging it and trying to fit it in where you can.

Saying No More

This one has been toughhh for me because my gut reaction is to say yes to things, especially when we’re not in quarantine. Sometimes the key to making sure you’re getting enough rest though is to say no to some activities. I’m introverted by nature and while I fricking LOVEEE spending time with my people it can really drain my energy levels. Plus, if I have a drained battery I know I’m not going to be my best self during that time.

A way I’ve combated that is prioritizing the things I say yes to. Last summer, I started by trying to only plan one big activity each weekend. There were some times where we had back-to-back things (between my fam, Evan’s multiple fams and our friends, things can get busy!) but for the most part I really tried to stick to this and it really helped. Instead of looking at my calendar and feeling dread for how exhausted I’d be after it helped me feel like I had more room to breathe. Now don’t get it wrong, I never dreaded the activities, again, love my peeps! I just knew back-to-back events and places to be was going to leave me tired AF come the end of the weekend.

Some people won’t get it, hey Mom, I’m talking to you 😜. She’s never really understood my methods on this but the key is to figure out what works best for you! Like I said, we’re all different but when we actually listen to our needs, life is a lot more enjoyable!

Turning off Social Media Notifications

Talk about being on 24/7… social media man. I love it and I also work in the industry but heck can it be draining. Something I did was turn off the push notifications on my social media accounts. I still spend more time than I’d like on the apps in my downtime, but by turning these off I’m not constantly flipping back and forth between accounts every time I get a notification. It turns out all of those notifications will be there when you hop on again. Our brains have become so conditioned to react to notifications almost immediately and turning these off can really benefit you when you’re trying to have unplugged time.

Going to Bed Earlier

Personally, I know if I don’t get enough sleep my mornings aren’t going to go smooth. Now that I’ve started my morning workouts with a bright and early wake-up alarm of 5:30 am, this has become more important for me. Because trust me, if I’m tired in the morning, then I’m not going to get out of bed for that workout and then I can say goodbye to my whole routine.

I used to be such a night owl, and left to my own devices I’ll still stay up late into the night. Why is it that looking up unnecessary things or going down rabbit holes always happens when you’re supposed to be getting ready to go to sleep?! The struggle is real! To combat this, I’ve actually set a bedtime for myself to get into bed. I might not necessarily go right to sleep but it’s when I start my bedtime routine and put down my phone (at least I try to!) By doing this, I prevent more of those late nighttime sucks that inevitably mess up my mornings. I’ve also found trading my phone for my Kindle helps me actually go to sleep a whole lot faster too.

Audit on Draining and Recharging Activities

Another thing that is so important is to do an actual personal audit on the activities that recharge you vs drain you. Sometimes these will even change based on your mood but I think actually consciously realizing what brings you back to life vs put you in a more tired state is important. Is that listening to podcasts or music? Watching Netflix or reading a book? or maybe it’s just sitting in the backyard or laying out at a park? The key here is to sit down with your thoughts and do a little self-awareness work so you can make the most of your downtime.

I hope you guys have found these tips helpful! If you have others be sure to drop them in the comments or hit me up on Instagram too. The key is getting the point across on how important rest is and remind you that you can still be a goal-chasing, productive badass and make time for it.

You all know I’m all about personality tests (and if you didn’t, now you do!) There’s something reassuring learning about why you are the way you are and, more importantly, how you can use it to your advantage. So why do I think personality tests can be helpful when it comes to reaching your goals? It’s all about self-awareness! It’s something that I think is so key when it comes to not just developing but actually making plans that you’ll be able to stick to.

Understanding what your strengths are.. what your weaknesses are and how you work best — these are all key when it comes to mapping out how you’re actually going to accomplish your goals. For example:

• If you’re someone who tends to procrastinate, then you’ll want to make sure you have specific deadlines in your action plan.

• If you’re someone who gets overwhelmed at the bigger picture and tends to give up on things, having an accountability plan or partner may be something you want to consider.

• Or, if you’re more of a trial and error type of person then it may be better for you to set short-term plans for how you’ll accomplish smaller pieces to your goals instead of wasting time planning the big picture.

We all approach life differently, and when you take the time to identify key things about how you live your life, it will only benefit you when it comes to your goals. So today I’m sharing 3 of the tests I recommend you take a look (or second look at) to increase your self-awareness and come up with plans that will set you up for success.

Four Tendencies

When it comes to a deep dive on learning about your personality and how you can improve your own life and relationships, the Four Tendencies should be your go-to! Gretchen Rubin wrote a whole book on the topic, but you can also just take the test on her website. Essentially this framework is based on the question, “How do I respond to expectations?” which then categorizes people into four different categories: Upholders, Questioners, Obligers, and Rebels. I am an Obliger, by the way.

Finding out my tendency was a GAME CHANGER (all caps worthy) for me when it came to my goals because I discovered as an Obliger I do better when I have outside accountability sources. For example, I’m really great at meeting deadlines, and other people’s expectations but can struggle when I’m the only one I have to answer to. Learning this was HUGE for me because it was so true. It’s actually one of the biggest reasons I started doing my monthly goal check-ins publicly on Instagram too, which I also talk about in this IGTV. By knowing this, I was able to add an accountability tactic that I may not have done otherwise which has really helped me propel forward on a lot of things.

Enneagram

The enneagram is another really popular test that has gained more notoriety in the last few years — especially on Instagram. There are thousands of accounts dedicated specifically to it, and I for one am here for it! The exact history on its origins are a little debatable but it’s focused on defining 9 different personality types.

Each type is represented by a number and includes: 1 the Reformer (that’s me!), 2 the Helper, 3 the Achiever, 4 the Individualist, 5 the Investigator, 6 the Loyalist, 7 the Enthusiast, 8 the Challenger, and 9 the Peacemaker. For me, the enneagram has provided a lot of insight into realizing I’m a perfectionist and how strong my inner critic can be. Sure, I may have known that before but diving in deeper has helped me give myself more grace when I trip up or things don’t go perfectly. Which has been very helpful when it comes to checking-in on goals and adjusting my plans when needed. There are several different versions of the enneagram test that you can take, but below I have linked one that I’ve used that’s free.

Myers–Briggs Type Indicator

Another very popular personality test especially for the workplace is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Essentially it is a questionnaire that focuses on identifying your psychological preference. The test breaks you into 4 main categories: Analysts, Diplomats, Sentinels, and Explorers, which are then broken down into 4 options under each. Each type in each category is represented by a letter so your full type has 4 letters, hence there being 16 different personality types. This website does a good job breaking things down.

I fall into the Advocate category and am right on the border of being an ENFJ-T and an INFJ-T — depending on if I’m feeling more extraverted or introverted. Which, on another note, there’s a name for people who have both introverted and extroverted tendencies — ambivert. I thought that was pretty cool when I found that out. Back to the personality test though, since there are 16 types, this test can get really specific on traits specific to you. A few of my takeaways from my type that I found were that sometimes I’m a little too optimistic about situations or what I can accomplish in one day and that I often put others needs before mine. From this, when I make plans, I try to stick to 3 main things each day for my business and 3 on the personal side so that I really have to prioritize things. I also started giving myself a day to myself each month specifically devoted to recharging and setting aside others’ expectations or needs.

I’ve had SO many amazing takeaways from these tests when it comes to my goals and I really hope they help you as well! Even if you’ve taken them before, I highly recommend going back and reading more about your types and really taking the time to do a personal audit. The time you spend learning more about yourself and on self-awareness will only help you build smarter and more effective plans when it comes to your goal action plans.

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Could you use a little support with this process? I created a intentional goal planning worksheet to walk you through it step-by-step!

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD YOUR COPY

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