Maximizing Q4: Strategies to Finish Strong
2020 has certainly been an unprecedented whirlwind/hurricane/earthquake/wildfire, but nevertheless we have persisted. Fortunately, the fourth quarter or Q4, has afforded us the fresh opportunity to both revisit and reimagine the achievement we seek as we transition into a new calendar year. For that reason, we are seeking to provide our #tribe some strategies gleaned from the realm of Business and Marketing, that also prove to be relevant in academic and professional spaces:
Reset end-of-year mindset- The article encourages us to maintain productivity and be proactive with our schedule, while simultaneously ensuring we block out time for celebrations and self care. Since Q4 encompasses Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Eve, it is important to map out and prioritize the actual days you have outside of those holidays to work and meet goals versus and to seek to ramp up productivity versus allowing it to lag. This mind shift helps us to reset our approach and mentally adapt to the schedule ahead.
Set specific goals for Q4- Since my youth, I have always felt that the month of October ushers me into a place of refreshing and restoration. It is the month that houses my self-proclaimed New Year. I always feel my lightest, yet most focused in Q4. I usually take this time to revisit the intentions I set at the beginning of the year. A great way to make tangible the action items you may have yet to accomplish this year, is to create SMART goals. Most of us have probably created goals using the SMART (Smart, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time-Bound) format at some point during our journey. If you haven’t, Q4 is an excellent time to start since our focus is already narrowed by what is realistic and attainable in the time remaining.
Map out Daily Requirements to Reach Q4 Goals- Unknowingly, I utilized this strategy when navigating my proposal defense and data collection process during my dissertation journey. After defending my general exams in September, I accounted for every day up until my proposal defense in early November, and Dr. Poole and I implemented a writing schedule since our timelines were almost identical. We carved out ahead of time the days/times we would write in a collective space, versus when wrote and researched individually. We did the same post-proposal and throughout the IRB process, and those practices essentially carried us through the next year and through our dissertation defense. Because we had specific goals and a timeline we wanted to meet, we ensured that we took full advantage of the time we had in Q4.
Create a Business Plan - As I previously mentioned, Q4 puts me in a productive headspace. Using the momentum gained in this quarter could be used to leverage your “business” plan, which could also be synonymous with an academic, career, or personal wellness plan. Achieving this in Q4 provides a headstart and may help avoid the slump that occurs between mid-January and early February, where 80% of New Year's resolutions have failed.
Create a “Hold-Me-To-It” Strategy- The particular strategy would initially be difficult for me because I typically refrain from speaking about a goal until it has come to fruition. I do, however, understand the value and often necessity of having trusted accountability partners that are invested in your personal, professional and/or academic success. Just as I frequently have goal-setting conferences with my students and hold them accountable for their progress, employing friends, family and colleagues to hold us to our goals in Q4 is certainly a worthwhile strategy
As always Ebonies, we want to hear from you! What strategies are you currently employing in Q4 to finish 2020 strong? Are there any strategies from the blog that would be beneficial to add to your arsenal. Drop us a line below and stay tuned for our upcoming podcast!
