BUSINESS EDU What’s the Best Way to Achieve Success? Plan for It. – by Cathryn Castle Garcia, Owner, ClearStoryCoach.com, The Azores Cathryn Castle Garcia is a writer, business strategist, & co-owner of C2G2Productions.com, a multimedia production company.
Well, “Happy New Year” is already a month old. January went by in a flash. And for many, so did their reso- lutions. If your New Year’s resolution to be more organized this year hasn’t happened yet, don’t give up. Keep reading for tips to help you get started. Author Annie Dillard says, “A schedule defends from chaos… It is a net for catching days.” I agree. Without planning and scheduling, days, weeks, and months can go by like one giant Netflix binge. I don’t want this to happen to you or to your business goals. You’ve still got a lot of 2025 remaining. Now is the perfect time to plan and schedule your future success. Planning Resources: I’m passionate about planning. Being a good planner takes a bit of planning (sorry, bad pun). Set yourself up for success by sourcing a few supplies. I use a hardbound planner/calendar notebook and a year-at-a- glance wall calendar. Research has proven that writing notes by hand improves memory and recall. In fact, MRI scans show that memory areas of the brain activate more robustly when notes are written by hand rather than typed into a dig- ital device. My favorite calendar notebook is found at Inamio.com. The calendar is designed with days of the week starting on Monday instead of Sunday-a game changer-meaning Satur- day and Sunday sit next to each other, as they should. And it’s got room for notes and appointments. My favorite wall calendar is from Litacimi.com. It shows all 12 months of the year displayed horizontally, perfect for easy reference. Both products are inexpensive and available on Amazon. You can find blank printable monthly calendar templates available for free download online, too. CalendarLabs.com has many op- tions. These are especially useful when brainstorming social media campaign strategies with your staff and when creating detailed dive trip itineraries. Print out a stack for your next team meeting. You’ll also want both a pencil and a pen. Treat yourself to a grown-up-style mechanical pencil with eraser and a good,
quality fine-line permanent ink pen for writing notes in small- ish calendar boxes. You’re worth it. I’m not a huge fan of color-coding, but if it appeals to you, go ahead and splurge on a dedicated set of fine-line colored pens, too. And while you’re at it, invest in a pocket- or purse-sized notebook for jotting ideas and “don’t forget” notes. I copy my written planner notes into a couple digital de- vices, namely my Apple laptop’s iCal calendar, which syncs
with my cell phone, smartwatch, and tablet. Other good options in- clude Google Calendar, Microsoft OneNote, and apps such as Todoist and Notion, which are available from your online app supplier.
Save the Dates : It’s best to do initial planning in pencil- except for important events you know are set, such as scuba shows, classes, and dive trips already on the books. These go in ink right away. Include on your business calendar impor- tant personal dates like birthdays and anniversaries, weddings, or graduations you don’t want to miss because you acciden- tally booked a work thing. While you’re at it, put employee birthdays and work mile- stones on the calendar in ink, too. Because, cake. Plus, it’s im- portant to celebrate our people often. Here are some important scuba industry event dates: March 1-2: GO Diving Show (UK) ▪ March 15-16 Boston Sea Rovers (MA, USA) ▪ March 15-16 ADEX Ocean Festival/OZTek Aus- ▪ tralia March 28-30 Mediterranean Diving Show (Barcelona, ▪ Spain) March 28-30 Beneath the Sea (NJ, USA) ▪ April 4-6 Asia Dive Expo (ADEX) (Singapore) ▪ May 22-25 Thailand Dive Expo (Bangkok) ▪ May 31-June 1 Scuba Show (CA, USA) ▪ June 13-15 Malaysia International Dive Expo (Kuala ▪ Lumpur) September 6-7 GO Diving ANZ (Sydney, Australia) ▪ October 17-19 Diving Talks (Lisbon, Portugal) ▪ November 11-14 DEMA (FL, USA) ▪
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