Now that we’re getting a little settled into 2018, it’s time that we start thinking about the things that will help us boost our career now. While others are making travel and music festival plans, I’m going to give you some ideas to set yourself up for success this year. Of course you can still have fun, but work hard, play hard, right?

In all seriousness, I think getting yourself set up now will save you lots of time later. Especially when life starts moving a little faster than normal. If your career or business is important to you, then continue reading to see what your plan of action should be.

1. Start networking.

You remember when you were dating in school, and people always told you to wait a few days before calling someone you’re interested in? Well, people STILL apply that tactic to the professional world, which can prevent them from progressing toward their goals. Don’t wait to contact your connections; do it now. If you met some pretty cool people that will help you achieve your dreams, then reach out to them now to see how they’ve been and what they’re working on. You don’t want anyone to forget about you, right?

2. Make a plan and jot down some ideas.

The point of making a plan is to give yourself enough time to execute that plan. When you start earlier, you give yourself time to organize your goals, measure them and correct them, if necessary. This is all very important because life is moving at a faster pace than ever before. And if you don’t have a solid plan, you’ll easily get left behind. Try not to stress about planning out your entire 2018, but you at least want to plan a month ahead of time. And when you think of new ideas, make sure to jot them down. The smallest concept can become your biggest success story.

3. Invest in yourself now before life gets too busy.

This was a hard lesson I learned at the end of 2017. A lot of things happened to me between last November and now, but one of the best things I could have done was invest in myself. While investing doesn’t always have to be financial, this was how I chose to improve myself. As you may or may not have noticed, I have an entirely new blog page, with better content, new logos and better videos on the way! I’m excited to see how far my investments will take me this year. Not only that, but I plan to invest time in myself. I frequently find myself helping everyone else reach their goals, but I’m excited to give my career some more attention. This year, I’m concentrating on reading, learning more about my field and staying organized when it comes to my blog and YouTube channel. What are some ways you plan to invest in yourself this year?

It may seem like a lot of work to focus on your career this early in the year, but this is the best time! Starting earlier means you have more time to accurately plan out your objectives and should anything go wrong, you have plenty of time to correct the problem. Remember: The early bird always gets the worm.

Happy career planning!