It’s 2024, and you’ve survived another year of creating while battling the algorithm. Before projects pile up, use this opportunity to set yourself up for success. The world is full of things out of our control, but sharpening your tools now will help prepare you for what’s to come. Here are five helpful ways to start the year right.
Five ways to start the new year off right as a content creator
1. Sign up for Grammarly (it’s free!)
Grammarly is a mighty gift for every writer who says they’re not an editor and every creator who says they’re not a writer. This incredible app provides one of the most powerful free editing tools. Whether writing a business letter or your next script, Grammarly will help you find easy-to-miss spelling and grammar mistakes. But the real magic of Grammarly is how it teaches you to be a better writer by spotting clarity issues and repetitive language.
We highly recommend subscribing if you can afford the full-featured app. However, if you’re working on a budget, the free version is powerful enough to make a world of difference.
2. Build a roadmap for the next two months of content
Of all the things on this list, building a roadmap for the next two months might sound the most daunting. However, it’s no more intimidating than the prospect of scrambling every week to figure out your next project. Your roadmap doesn’t have to be set in stone; think of it as a suggestion of where your work will take you.
Figure out which days are most important for your posting. Do you make TikToks on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays? Do you post your YouTube series on Mondays? Write down a list of possible topics, ideas, and concepts you want to explore in the year’s first two months.
At the end of each month, look at the roadmap for what’s coming, and then plan your next month. This is a great way to help yourself stay ahead and avoid stress throughout the year.
3. Write down the road blocks that held your work back last year
The first day of the year is a time to reflect on what went wrong last year so you can avoid making the same mistakes. Don’t be cruel to yourself, but be honest. Our goal here isn’t self-flagellation but future success. Write down three to five things you could have done better last year. Maybe you missed deadlines because of a lack of personal organization or didn’t use hashtags in your TikToks.
Keep these in a note on your phone, and check in with yourself occasionally to see how you’re doing. This can help keep yourself accountable as you dive into another year of developing your content. Starting the year right often means remembering where you could have done better.
4. Identify your greatest successes last year
Of course, starting the year right also means keeping track of our successes. While your failures teach us where you still need to grow, knowing where you won can help you continue to succeed. Write down your victories in the last year and the steps you took to achieve them.
Then, take a look at your goals for the next two months. Are there any lessons you learned from your previous successes you can apply toward your current goals? Let your existing wins define your future achievements as much as the hard-learned lessons do.
5. Starting the year right with a daily schedule
You’re almost done. The last step to start the year right is to give yourself the time you need to succeed. Whether you’re already a full-time creator or grinding out your passion between a day job, managing your time is vital. Look at your goals and ask yourself how much time you’ll need to meet them.
If it takes six hours a week to make your YouTube video, ensure those six hours are factored into each week. Especially if you’re a creator who has to juggle multiple jobs, setting a schedule is a way to prioritize the value of your work.
Most importantly, this will allow you to plan time to relax. You won’t find yourself scrambling to make things for yourself if you set aside a little time every day.
Happy New Year, Passionfruit readers. It’s a fresh start for everyone. Now let’s start making cool stuff.
