Finish 2024 with a flourish
Set three monthly timeboxes in Sept, Oct & Nov
TLDR: Set clear goals for September through November, break them into monthly milestones, and timebox your tasks to stay on track and finish the year strong.
Word count: 640
Read time: 3 mins
I hope you had a nice summer. Mine was full of fun, sun, boxing, unboxing, timeboxing, and a one-way journey down to the South of Spain.
The end of summer is a good moment for reflection and reset. We’re now two-thirds of the way through the year. It’s time to top up our New Year’s Resolutions with something pragmatic for Autumn / The Fall.
As September starts and the holiday energy dissipates, we go back to school or work, and things become normal and serious again. And the year will be over in the blink of an eye.
So, what do you want to achieve, still, in 2024? If you’re going to achieve it, you’ll need to get it done over the next three months.
Be intentional about the run-in to December. Setting intentions isn’t just about having a goal in mind; it’s about choosing the right goal, with care, and committing to a course of action that aligns with that goal. By planning intentionally, you can ensure that your efforts over the next few months contribute meaningfully toward a bigger life goal, rather than just getting caught up in day-to-day busyness of work and life.
So try this.
Set an overall aim for the remainder of 2024.
Break that down into monthly milestones.
Put timeboxes in for each month. (I recommend putting them in for around the 20th of each month so you have it there, motivating you. But if you find that not much has been achieved, there’s still time to address that.)
And put in a weekly 30-minute recurring timebox to ensure more frequent progress.
Below are some examples of reasonable goals to achieve before the year is up, and what one might hope to get done by each of the monthly milestones.
Idea 1: Launch a blog
September:
Pick a URL, brainstorm ideas for the first five blogs, investigate blog hosting platforms (like Substack), identify 10 friends to soft-launch it to.
October:
Launch it, get early feedback, engage with those initial readers.
November:
Create a content calendar for six months, adapt blogs to the feedback you’re getting, aim to readh 100 readers.
Idea 2: Earn a career-enhancing certification
September:
Research courses, certifications and providers, and get a couple of recommendations.
October:
Enrol, read around the subject, talk to a couple of relevant people who might help you link the certification to your career.
November:
Get going with the course, write a post about it on LinkedIn, connect with others in your study group.
Idea 3: Write a book
September:
Outline your ideas and break them down into a chapter-based structure, set a writing schedule.
October:
Recognize this is way too much work for 3 months!! You need at least four!
November:
Settle for writing synopses of each chapter instead.
Idea 4: Learn a new language
September:
Start with the basics, such as vocabulary and simple phrases. Dedicate 15-30 minutes daily.
October:
Move on to more complex sentences, grammar, and practice speaking and listening regularly.
November:
Engage in conversations with native speakers, take language proficiency tests, and watch media in the new language.
Idea 5: Reach a fitness goal
September:
Set your goal and make it specific (e.g. run 5km, lose 5kg, be able to do 10 pull-ups) and establish a workout routine.
October:
Track progress and get close to the goal.
November:
Hit your target, make a maintenance routine, and set your next goal.
Idea 6: Save some money
September:
Set a specific savings target, work out how much you’ll need to save to achieve it, and what behaviours you’ll need to do more or less of along the way.
October:
Track progress weekly, make the commitment public by sharing with someone you trust
November:
Reach the goal. And spend it all immediately!
So, one timebox for each of the next three months. Finish 2024 well.
Marc
Links you may like
7 days of Timeboxing (the free email micro-course)
Timeboxing, the book (US)
Timeboxing, the book (UK)
Connect with me on LinkedIn (I will say yes!)