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How do you set goals? This is the productivity hack I use to make things happen

Writer's picture: Caroline SherwoodCaroline Sherwood
Walking the 96-mile West Highland Way - A 2024 achievement! Image credit James Sherwood
Walking the 96-mile West Highland Way - A 2024 achievement! Image credit James Sherwood

I used to feel overwhelmed by setting goals and targets. My efforts either resulted in impossible expectations e.g. I want to write a best-selling novel, run a Marathon and sail the Atlantic this year. Or I set dull SMART targets that included so many qualifiers and caveats that the task lost appeal and I never wanted to look at them again. As a practical person, I needed a proactive approach to goal setting and continuous improvement. As someone with a short attention span, I needed something to keep me motivated and provide a sense of accomplishment.   


Where it began

To overcome the SAD days also known as mid-winter in the UK, my husband and I started to write down everything we'd achieved in the past 12 months. Some things were really small such as "paint the fence", others included "visiting a new country", completing a fitness challenge or hitting a milestone at work. Sometimes our achievements simply recognised that we've continued to smash our way through life. We’ve been doing this for about five years now and used it to celebrate the wins but also create a list of things we want to achieve in the coming year.


To keep it easy, we work within these 5 categories:

1.       Adventure & Travel

2.       Career

3.       Finance

4.       Health & Fitness

5.       House


Not everything listed is a lofty ambition as it is important that at least half of the things on the list are manageable. At the same time, it shouldn’t become another “To Do” list but including little things that are easy to tick off helps make you feel good about the progress you’ve made.


Our 2025 goals include finishing our conservatory floor so I can sometimes work in there instead of my home office. I’ve already got quotes from the tiler and almost decided which tiles we’re going for! I’ve also committed to “play more badminton”, this goal definitely needs to be quantified. While I don’t think I’ll get back to the days of playing at least 4 hours a week, I have made progress despite a horrendous winter cough and managed two sessions this month.


Personal shopping lists

I apply this thinking to PR and communications campaigns too. When I worked in agencies, I also asked my team to “shop for their clients”. The concept is adapted from the work of a personal shopper. A shopper understands your brief (e.g. a smart casual work wardrobe), your measurements (marketing targets) and what colours and fits best suit you (your target audience).


My team and I would spend time researching publications and brainstorming to build a shopping list identifying press slots and opportunities we could target. It also worked when we were looking to target a new sector e.g. a client wanted to target the wedding market so what could we do to build exposure?


The benefits are that it keeps my mind fresh and interested. When you work on specific brands for a long time and know them so well, it can be easy to stick to what has previously worked – which is no bad thing – but you could overlook opportunities that fall outside the usual remit.  


Articulating ambitions

I still practice “shopping” for clients every quarter or so. I also apply this process to my business too. I make sure the list does not exceed a double page spread and write it in my notebook rather than in a digital document as I find it is easier to review than a business plan document. If I’m ever procrastinating and need a kick to do something productive, I refer to these lists and try to tick something off. I don’t share these lists with clients but they help motivate me to stay on track and encourage me to try different approaches so I can keep delivering results I am proud of.  


Nowadays I also include big dream wins in my client “shopping” lists, so it becomes a mix of achievable entries and audacious ambitions. I suppose it borrows from the principles of manifestation and by putting it on paper I’m urging it to happen but from a practical point of view it pushes me to pursue something amazing that’s possibly too far out of reach. If it doesn’t work, I’ve tried but if it pulls off, it’s great to add value by surprising clients with a fantastic opportunity!


Here’s a sanitised example of one of the lists:

·       Get Client on BBC local radio

·       Generate a blog that gets them 100+ likes / comments on LinkedIn

·       Secure coverage in national news pages

·       Place a thought leadership article in a trade publication

·       Target a specific profile slot / interview slot

·       Explore speaker opportunities at industry events

·       Get client mentioned on This Morning


For me, this goal-setting method encourages a proactive and results-oriented approach. By regularly reviewing achievements and setting ambitious yet attainable goals, it helps me maintain momentum, stay motivated, and continuously strive for improvement. Whether it's personal or professional, this simple framework works!

 

Want to talk about setting ambitious goals for your next PR or communications project? Talk to me: caroline@clsrelations.com

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