Implementing Quarterly Goals

I've spent the last several years looking for a way to increase focus and productivity in my everyday and work life. I've tried daily, weekly, or monthly goals and gotten overwhelmed. On the other side of things, I tried making yearly goals and forgot about them. I'm going to shoot for a "happy medium" and try implementing quarterly goals.

I mean. I get some stuff done, but I need to do more!

Starting now, since April is the beginning of the second sales quarter of the year, I will post several goals to be met over the following three months. Then I'll come back at the start of the next quarter, reveal how I did, and list my goals for the following quarter. Y'all will keep me accountable, right?

I'm going to set goals that will push me but still be obtainable. If I try to list off way too many goals or ones that are too big to meet, all it'll do is reduce me to a sobbing ball of fail. I know this, and frankly, I don't have time to try and pull myself back together from that. So, I'm going to keep it realistic.

Goal #1: Finish the Icarus rough draft.

Unfortunately, there's just no way Icarus will be in print by the end of June like I hoped. I mean it's April, and I'm just barely past the midpoint of the rough draft. If I try to rush it enough to hit print by the first of June, it's going to suck, and I'd rather say, "Sorry, my bad," than put out a piece of junk.

Goal #2: Lose an inch off my waist and strengthen my core.

I'm under no illusion that I'm slender. I know I'm overweight, and I'm still working on it. Because of past injuries and medical issues, it's going to be a glacial, agonizing process, but it's doable. It's all about small steps, and size works better as a measurement for me. My scale is more wishy washy than a laundromat.

Goal #3: Design and manufacture the 2016 Line.

Con K is coming up toward the end of the quarter. It's become tradition to debut all the new fragrances, aside from seasonal and holiday specials, at the convention. It's gotta get done.

Goal #4: Finish building and plant the garden.

See, it's already halfway done.

We're very close to finishing this goal, but the weather's been holding us back a bit. We've been having a bit of yo-yo temperatures. It's warm one day and freezing the next, and I don't want our veggies to suffer the same fate my new hydrangea did.

Goal #5: Research audio alternatives.

I've been considering ways to make audio version of my books available. Because of this, I actually started publishing audio versions of my Flash Fiction Friday series on YouTube as a way to experiment.

It gives me an avenue to experiment and practice recording, editing, and producing audio files, but more research is necessary. I need to contact a professional to research alternatives to a completely DIY model. I also need to look up the different audio publishers to compare their requirements, guidelines, reviews, and distribution.

Goal #6: Book two shows for later in the year.

My calendar is looking a bit sparse as of the moment. Right now, I only have two shows scheduled for the rest of the year, and that can't stand. I know some late year shows just aren't ready to start accepting applications for venders. I'm not really talking about those. 

I'm in serious need of branching out. Over the years, we've gotten started working the majority of shows in the area that meet our needs as far as audience and venue go. (When your products start melting at 90 degrees, and summer temps regularly hit the mid 90s to low 100s, outdoor shows aren't good in summer. I've had soaps literally start trying to boil inside their packaging sitting in the shade, and I know how to use that word. I lost over fifty sample soaps at one four hour show!) I'm looking for shows we haven't attended yet that are more than 50 miles away from our home. Anything below Birmingham or in either Georgia, Tennessee, or Mississippi would be ideal.

Goal #7: Write two book reviews.

I've collected several books from authors I've been meeting at said shows and conventions. I need to read and review, plain and simple.

I'm already reading the first one I plan to review, but I'm a slow reader. That's why my goal is only two by the end of June.

Goal #8: Finish two blankets.

And here we reach the goal I'm most likely to fail miserably at completing. I've been working on a couple of "baby" blankets for a couple years now.

Wonder Woman blanket I made for my second to youngest niece.

Yes, you read that right. Years!

Here's a "basic" granny rectangle blanket I made for my nephew.

If you think I'm slow at reading, that's nothing compared to how awful I am at finishing a knit, crochet, and sewing project in a reasonable amount of time. Part of that is due to the fact I make "baby" blankets big enough to be used on into the teen or adult years as lap blankets, which you can probably see in the examples above.

The one I'm trying to finish now, I've been working on off and on for the last two years. I'd started a different blanket for him the year before, but a cup of coffee got knocked over onto it. The stain refused to come out, and there was no salvaging it. So I started over. I kind of bit off more than I can chew though, which is one reason it's taken so long. I thought tiny granny squares would be faster than tapestry work. I didn't realize I'd need 575 of them until I was a quarter of the way through.

Oh well.

So that's my list. I'll be back the first week in July to report on how I did and to list my next set of goals.