Behind-the-Scenes: My Blog & Side Biz Goals For August 2015
It's hard to believe we're in August. Just one full month of summer left (not that we've seen the weather!) and then the season will change. I usually say every month has been jam packed but July has been a whirlwind. Not only have I got another job, we're also coming to terms with my Grandma passing away. She's left a very big hole for all of us that's going to take some getting used to. But for now, it's a new month, so it's time to take an in-depth look at my goals for the month ahead. Setting goals at the start of the month is a great way to align my work with the things in life that matter to me the most. Plus, sharing them with you motivates me even more to complete them, and I love reading about the goals you set for yourself too. Today, I'm sharing with you how I got on in July as well as the goals I'll be working towards during August.
How I Did On My July Goals
1. Use My Time More Wisely
I definitely did this. I've been trying to make the most of every minute and cramming in as much as I can to my day, simply because it won’t get done otherwise! A few months ago, a day could pass by and I'd wonder what I'd actually accomplished. I really don't like that feeling. Even if it's just one thing I do every day that I want to do, at least it's something. I've been focusing on doing the things that really matter to me and my life. So far it's working out well.
2. Stick to My Health and Fitness Regime
I stuck to my fitness regime right up until the end of the month when I was knocked off my feet with a sickness bug. Great! I've been working through FitnessBlender videos and focusing on a different part of my body each day of the week. As for the food side, I've mainly stuck to it, but I'm planning on being a lot stricter. I don't do too badly - I always get my 5 a day, I drink four to five bottles of water every day and I love me some healthy meats. But weekends are my weakness - it's like I completely cave and go wild! But after coming down ill again, it's made me even more concerned about what I feed my body. It's very good to me, so I need to be just as good back to it.
3. Create a Free Download for My VIPs
This is half done my friends, half done. I actually don't know where most of this month has gone. I was convinced I'd have this done by the end of July, but some things just don't work out the way you plan. On the up side, it won't take me long to finish off and I can't wait for you to see what I've been creating for you!
4. Enjoy My Birthday
I had a beautiful birthday. Truly beautiful, and I'm so glad I could spend it with my Grandma too. We all had a lovely time celebrating with family and I couldn't have asked for anything more.
Goals For August 2015:
1. Finish My Extra Secret Opt-In
I know it might be cheating carrying over a goal from last month, but this is a big goal that I want to complete. Plus I’m really excited for it. It feels much more manageable this month - the only issue is if my laptop will hold up. If not...well, we'll get to that at the end of August!
2. Order a New Laptop
Yes my friends, the time has come. I'm starting to take things much more seriously now with my blog and side hustle and my poor little Sony laptop just won't cut it. So I'm biting the bullet and getting myself a MacBook. I really can't wait - it's going to be like all the holiday's rolled into one!
3. Start Planning Another Secret Project
I realise that there are many things I talk about on this blog that are secret. But the thing is, I don't want to reveal this to you until I know it's definitely set in stone. Even so, it's pretty exciting and I'm looking forward to getting you all involved too. It’s going to involve blogging, branding, tone of voice and SEO. I’ll just leave you to stew on that for a while… ;)
4. Do My First Periscope
Confession – I’m addicted to Periscope, and I haven’t even done my first broadcast yet! I am so excited to give it a go. I’ve not been this excited about a social media platform in a long time, but I think Periscope is here to stay. I’ve got a few ideas so far – it’s just about biting the bullet and doing it. You can add me at abranchofholly !
Now, onto the review.
BLOG
Well, this month saw me (finally) transfer platforms from Blogger to Squarespace – I wrote more about it in this post if you want to find out more. It was about time and I’m so pleased with the results. I’ve never felt more confident about my online presence and I feel like I can bring so much more to the table now I’m working on this platform. It does mean I have to buy a new laptop – the big move finally finished the other one off. But if you asked me if it was worth, I’d be able to answer with a definite yes.
I’ve been trying slow blogging for a few months now, where I publish content twice a week. Recently I increased that to three times a week and I want to increased it even more. I miss the consistency of publishing content Monday through till Friday so I’m strongly considering bringing this back again.
Three Most Popular Posts Of The Month:
11 Of The Best Things I Can Tell You From My First Conference
Why Your Website Needs To Be Mobile-Friendly
What You Should Be Blogging Like In 5 Years’ Time
SIDE PROJECTS
This has taken a very good turn during July and I couldn’t be happier. I started out by writing a huge Master list of everything I want to create for my side business. I broke it down into really tiny steps so every single thing was listed. A few bloggers have advised me to do this in the past and it definitely helped.
I’m halfway through my first free product, which means I’m a quarter of the way through my first PAID product. It makes me giddy just to write that! There aren’t going to be any big reveals yet – I’ve been dropping a few hints here and there, and I’ll be publishing some blog posts about it this month. Watch this space.
Finally, I’ve been working really hard on the freelancing side of things lately. There’s no harm in searching for some extra income and writing is the perfect way for me to do that. Miraculously, I got my first paid gig! I’m a writer for Career Addict, where I write about career life, jobs and employment. My first article has been published and I can’t wait to get into a regular schedule for this.
WORK
In my last Monthly Review post for June, I ended this section with “we’ll see what this month brings”. Little did I know that it would bring me a new job.
The truth is, my job in Lancaster at the agency just wasn’t for me. It was a very technical role that I wasn’t used to and a long commute; so when the chance came up to take a social media and content job that’s a 15 minute drive away, it was a no brainer.
I read an article recently about signs that mean you’re destined to work for yourself. One of these was “you jump from job to job.” I also read a quote recently that said, “when you first taste the freedom of an entrepreneurial life, you never want to go back to the 9-5.” So whilst this new job is definitely the next right step for me, I think it’s safe to say that in 5 years’ time, I want to be my own boss.
FITNESS
Since I caught this awful bug, and after the loss of my Grandma, I haven’t really eaten anything in almost a week. So this has meant that I really haven’t had the energy to exercise. For the first three weeks of the month though I was ON IT. It makes me feel so good when I work out and I can’t wait to get back to doing it every day again.
LIFE
For the family at the moment, the next month will be spent remembering our Grandma and trying to find our way back to normal, adjusting to life without her. It’s been a shock, but I’m so thankful to have such a big and loving family. It makes you realise that nothing else will ever be as important than the people you love.
So, a sad note to end this post on, but we’re trying not to be sad. We’ll be celebrating our Grandma’s life for years to come.
Thanks for reading, friends. Come on then – what are your goals for August? Leave a comment and let me know!
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