Raise your hand if you’ve set goals in years past but fallen short of accomplishing them. If your hand is up, you’re in good company. The fact is, keeping resolutions and following through on goals can be challenging – especially if those goals are ambitious. As we enter a New Year, now’s a great time to not only set some important objectives for your property management company, but also get a plan in place that will improve the chances of ending the year with a check mark next to each of them.

Break larger goals into smaller tasks.

Some of your business goals will probably be for things like growth and revenue increase. The problem with these big-picture goals, however, is that they’re so large they can be too overwhelming to actually achieve. Make things more attainable by breaking these larger goals down into smaller tasks that, when added up, will enable you to achieve the results you’re after. As you list out your major objectives for the year, figure out what smaller steps you’ll need to take to get you there and use that to guide you.

Establish deadlines.

Another simple but effective way to improve the odds of achieving your goals is to set clear deadlines. When you have a time-table that you are working against, you are more likely to stay on schedule and hit your milestones. It also makes it easier to measure your progress and correct issues or address roadblocks in a timely manner. When you don’t have a deadline to adhere to you, you may find yourself rushing at the end of the year, trying to get through everything you wanted to accomplish (and likely falling short.)

Communicate your goals.

Regardless of whether it’s the goals you set for your personal development or your property management business, communicating about them openly and regularly can increase your chances of success. By talking to others about what you want to establish, you can create a support system and also a sense of accountability. For the goals that you’ll need others to help you achieve, make sure you are continuously reiterating what the desired end result should be and what the plan is to get there. Everyone should have a clear understanding of what’s expected of them.

Be flexible.

The goals and milestones you established in January may not be as relevant later in the year. In the property management industry, things change, often dramatically and at a rapid pace. If you’re not flexible and agile with your plan, you could find yourself missing the mark completely come December. Schedule time at regular intervals to assess and reevaluate your goals to determine whether they’re still on target or if changes should be made.

Start now.

Procrastination can be a killer of progress, especially when it comes to achieving goals. If your mantra is “I’ll do it tomorrow,” you’ll find yourself behind the eight ball before you know it. Get yourself and your team off to a strong start by developing your goals, milestones and deadlines sooner, rather than later.

Setting goals is one thing. Actually achieving them is an entirely different ballgame. The five tips above should help you set yourself, your team and your property management company up for success in 2019 and beyond.