How to get inspired and organised for 2024.

At this time of year lots of people start planning new routines to get themselves organised. Organisation is key to being successful in any business.

From years and years of being a teacher, where every second of our lesson time and indeed our free time was precious beyond belief, I have 30 years of time management and organisation skills honed to a tee.

There is a myth that creative thinkers are chaotic and disorganised… though I’ll admit that part of my need for planning and organisation has definitely stemmed from my years of being a teacher and now they are serving me well in my years of being an artist.

Over the years I’ve tried various business planners, crafty planners, arty planners, boring planners and even a “girl boss” planner (I don’t like that term, I can’t imagine my Dad who ran his own business for years, buying a “Boy boss” planner; seems bit patronising to me!) Anyway I’ve tried loads of them. And loads of them are pretty good, but they just weren’t quite right for me. It’s why I created a unique planner.

A friend suggested I re-created my personal one as a download so that everyone could have a try at my planning system. So that’s exactly what I’ve done.

The Planner’s Journey

In my quest for the perfect planner, I found myself piecing together ideas from various sources. Frustrated with the lack of a comprehensive solution, I embarked on a journey to create a monthly planner specifically designed for creative entrepreneurs.
Here’s my basic premiss:

  • 1. Monthly Focus: A planner that aligns with your artistic rhythm, allowing you to review, plan, and strategise month by month.
  • 2. Reflection: Dive deep into yearly reflections, celebrating your highs and acknowledging life’s pivotal moments.
  • 3. Word of the Year: and word of the month. Choose a guiding word for the, inspiring and steering your creative endeavors. Words I’ve used in the past, Expansion, Space, Focus, Joy,
  • 4. Marketing Mastery: Develop and execute marketing goals, with insights on crafting engaging social media content and generating unique ideas for your business.
  • 5. Financial Mastery: Track your revenue, identify best sellers, and manage expenses effectively to nurture your creative enterprise.
  • 6. Key Matrix: Evaluate and enhance different facets of your business with a strategic key matrix.

I first started crafting my own planner in 2018, in 2019 it helped me win the Spire FM  Woman in Business award. each years it gets a little tweak getting better and better. It really works. It’s not onerous but it helps keep you on track through the year.

Over on my shop page you’ll find it. Ready for instant download, so you can review 2023, set your goals for 2024, get inspired for a great creative year in Business.

It has advice on creating your business plan and an executive summary in addition to twelve months of reviews and planning pages. Its beautiful designed in colour.

by Dougal Matthews