The Strategic Planner Podcast with Tessa Shahid

Establishing your career is not a small gesture. It takes education, experience, oomph, and persistence. In this episode, I give you more than a glimpse into the signs or things you may experience that communicate you're ready for a career change. That change can mean different things to various people but this is at least a starting point. 

Building your career, making pivots, and growing can be stressful, challenging, and feel impossible. Here are the things I wish I knew + my advice for those in College, who are postgrad or getting ready for a career change. If this is your first time listening, go back to the side hustle story episode to get some context on this episode. 

We are just a week into April! March was nuts and I'm ready for a Spring refresh. Let's chat and I'll give you into this month's theme and topics. 

With the pandemic shifting the future of work, I thought what better topic to cover than “hustle culture”. My “hustle” started to shift about 3 years ago before the pandemic started. My new definition has only narrowed in focus and my why is stronger. Let's discuss its impact, what to look out for, and how to manage.

Discovering and embracing stillness is a practice that doesn't change overnight. It takes consistency, drive, and discipline just like anything else. I have experienced the positive impact it can have on your life and also the anxiousness that comes with it. Let's chat!

Social comparison bias is the tendency to have feelings of dislike and competitiveness with someone seen as physically or mentally better than oneself. In some cases, comparison can be neutral, normal, and healthy when you admire someone you'd like to be more similar to. It can drive us to achieve more and to improve. But, that can quickly change when feelings of envy appear. Check out this weeks episode to learn more! 

Motivation is the process that initiates, guides, and maintains goal-oriented behaviors. Our motivation or lack thereof can impact various areas of life one of those being execution.  I chose to dive into this topic so that you can diagnose the signs and symptoms before it gets to this point.  The earlier you can do that, the quicker the bounce back or pivot can occur.  

A personal planning system is truly the foundation for improving your productivity, decreasing your overwhelm, proper time management, and most importantly knowing where to invest your time and energy. In this week's episode, I talk about one of my favorite tools within my system - physical planners!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Whether you set New Year's resolutions or you're a traditional goal setter. Planning in 90-day sprints helps you to get laser-focused during execution. In this week's episode, I share insight into this planning process through the pros, cons, and how to get started if it sounds like a good fit for you. 

You've learned what it means to be strategic and intentional now it's time to do the work to be intentional in your every day. This week's episode dives into the use, purpose, pro's and cons of vision boards - a very popular planning tool. I help you to understand what you should be doing instead and where this falls within your planning process. 

Limiting beliefs are present in all of us. Let's give you a few tools and resources to help you challenge and reframe your limiting beliefs this year.

I don't know about you but intentional self-preservation is something I will be prioritizing this year. While it's said to be an innate muscle for humans, I can tell you that in today's society, self-care can fall to the back seat and make people feel guilty. That all ends now . . .  Well, at least I'm going to work towards that. In this week's episode, I'll share my biggest lesson about self-care that I learned in Therapy and we'll talk about creating your own self-care plan for this year. 

Everyone reacts and experiences change differently and while it can be hard it can be good. We've experienced a lot of unknown/unplanned change in the last almost two years and being in the pandemic. You've made it on the other side and yet we've still gone a ways to go. Check out this episode to learn more about the types of change and how you respond to them 

If you've ever felt like there wasn't a blueprint for things you wanted to do in life; I'm providing a little bit of that in this week's episode that gives a glimpse into intentional living by area of life. We consume a lot of content and sometimes it's hard to apply it to ourselves without concrete examples. In this week's episode, I wanted to take 3 important areas of life and share how you can be more intentional in those. 

This week's episode starts the season off with understanding 4 of the most important components to living an intentional life. This episode and those to come to share a little about what you need to know, do, and execute to be more intentional in 2022.

We're back from a must-needed break ahead of the holiday season! Super excited as always to dive into this next podcast season! Take a listen to hear what I've been up to and what you can expect in season 2. 

This week's episode is just a little bittersweet. When I started this podcast I didn't totally consider when I wanted season 1 to end and season 2 to begin. My biggest focus to be honest was just starting. I didn't want perfectionism, anxiety, or procrastination to get in the way of bringing this to life. As we land on 30 episodes, end quarter 3, and get closer to a brand new year, I thought what better time than now to take a break. Take a listen to learn about what you can expect in the coming months and most importantly next season. 

Sometimes the answer to our struggles isn't another system, framework, or hack. While I am all for strategy and tips - as you all have noticed - I also believe that it's important to recognize there may be other root causes at play that we need to audit and fix. This week's episode dives into how to recognize if anxiety is impacting your productivity through procrastination vs. being stressed. I share resources that will hopefully help you cope and manage it effectively. The resources I shared in this week's episode are linked below: Psychology Today: How to Recognize Induced Procrastination Psychology Today: On Stress, Anxiety & Procrastination Open Path Collective 

Ahead of making the jump to go full-time in Entrepreneurship, you should have systems in place to help you manage your operations. In my experience, companies scale fast and their operations, procedures, and processes do not fit. In this week's episode, I am going to share some of my favorites must-have resources to help you combat decision fatigue and to know high-level information about a few good systems that I love.

Going full-time in Entrepreneurship is a bold, amazing, and scary jump! In this week's episode, I wanted to chat a little about the things people tend to forget (take for granted in corporate America) that usually sets them off on the wrong foot. Take a listen and let me know if you can relate. 

And we are back with part two of improving your productivity through boundaries. In this week's episode, I give you examples of small boundaries you can start exercising right now. Let's get to it! 

Setting boundaries both personally and professionally is one of the many ways that we can improve our productivity during execution. Healthy boundaries improve our overall health, environment, relationships, time management, and so much more. In this week's episode, I share my journey to establishing healthy boundaries, one of my favorite books that helped, and a few questions you can ask yourself to start that process for you

While winging it has been successful for some, at some point they turn to data, strategy, and intention to go to the next level. It doesn't matter if it's personally, professionally, or in your own business. These tips that I share in this week's episode will help you understand the pros and cons of winging it and what you can do to improve the chaos. 

In this week's episode, I'll chat about the oh-so-common thing that we all deal with at some point - Overwhelm. Yup, that beast tends to rear its head and drives us into rabbit holes. I know I'm not alone. With everything going on in the world right now I feel like it makes it 10 times worse. SO I'm here to share 3 reasons why you are experiencing overwhelm and of course what you can do to get out of it. 

In this week's episode, I share tips on how you can manage long-term vs. daily tasks. I go over my experience, some of my hacks, and things that you can do to set yourself for success as we kick off the new month. It's to feel as though the hamster wheel of the day-to-day grind is always in focus. This episode will help you pause and get back on track for this new month. 

This week's episode brings a fun announcement. For years I've created templates as a way to stay organized and to be honest, creating templates and processes for me is like second nature. It's how my brain works. Over the years I created templates when I freelanced and even in my career if I worked in an organization that may have been maturing in that area but weren't quite where they wanted to be yet. I've been asked for years if I would sell my templates or do something with them so I finally did. This shop is starting with trello board templates and will continue to expand into workbooks, project, and product management templates (think launches, kick-offs, etc). I am hoping this helps you organize and streamline your life and work so you can maximize your time. Visit https://bit.ly/shopandorganize

In this week's episode, our hot topic is what to do when you are “feeling unhappy when not productive”. We've all been there so I decided to shed some on this topic from conversations and my own experiences. I'm hoping this gives you some clarity and maybe even a little peace to know that you aren't alone. Here is how I've handled it and what I recommend as your next best step! 

 In this week's episode, I wanted to chat about the challenge of wrangling tasks while managing new ideas. Shiny object syndrome shows up in multiple ways and this is one. Let's walk through the foundation of task management and one of my tried and true methods of managing new ideas so I can keep up the momentum.  Visit the shop at https://bit.ly/shopandorganize 

In this week's episode, I talk about the challenges around mismanaged time, why it happens, and how you can improve it. There are two to four steps that I share in this week's episode so you can improve your relationship with time. That muscle may need to be exercised just like any other but you can do this! 

 In this week's episode, we talk about all things summer routines. I don't know about you but I definitely needed a bit of a refresher when it comes to how I manage my time, personal projects, and even starting a new job. Whether you are a business owner or you have project work that you take on personally . . This episode will help you. This episode is a great companion to your planning process as a whole not just in preparation for summer fun. 

In this week's episode, I'm going to give tips on how to prioritize #allthethings you have on your plate. I'll review a few categories which help me place things in buckets and what you should think about as you shift the weight of your workaround. This is a great companion to episode 13 where I talked about the differences between strategic and fluffy to-do lists. 

 In this week's episode, I'm going to cover the one thing you can do to get more done this summer. As ambitious women, we wear many hats, regardless of our career titles, and oftentimes we take on too much to our own detriment. While there are periods when we have to stay heads down and just put in the work - there are other times when we need to ask/pay for help. Let's chat about the pros and cons of outsourcing, some of my favorite apps to use, and how you can prepare for hiring overall to set yourself for success. 

In this week's episode, we kick off the summer with our “what you need to stay on track with your goals to have a hot girl summer” series. This first episode walks you through things to consider before you start planning trips and getting back outside. This exercise will help you manage your time, expectations, and capacity to ensure you have a better chance of hitting your goals while still being able to have fun. 

Do you ever ask yourself why you aren't getting more done? Do you often feel unsure where to start and overwhelmed by your long to-do lists? These are all symptoms of having the wrong stuff and sometimes too much on our to-do lists. In this week's episode, I share how your to-do list really is the foundation to continious execution and moving the needle forward. When created with the intention you can do wonders. 

Project Management tools can be life-changing. Whether you are using them for business or personal there are some basic tools you can start with to test the waters before you start with the holy grails. In this episode, I walk you through 2-4 things you need to consider before choosing a new application. My goal is to save you time, feelings of overwhelm, and quite frankly the headache of just hopping from tool to tool without really identifying the features or functionality that you need. 

Due to my love of technology, trying out new applications, and overall organization this week's episode is definitely a favorite for this month. I'm sharing with all of you my favorite project management tools I've used, recommend, and how they can help you decrease your overwhelm and know where to start. I will chat about Trello and ClickUp to name a few. 

In this week's episode, we head deeper into this month's theme of tools, systems, and strategies for execution. While identifying your goals and creating a plan is a part of the first few steps, the next is ensuring you have what you need to actually move the needle forward. Doing all of this in a pandemic just makes it a bit more complex. It will look different for each person but it's vital to identify what works best for you and simply build off of that. 

In this week's episode, I'm talking about the infamous time management and how you can use it to improve your execution. I share different methods, my processes, and the importance of constantly testing and tweaking to find what works best for you. While it's a “trendy” topic it really is a part of the foundation we need to work smart and execute consistently.  It doesn't matter if it's personal tasks, client work, or accomplishing a goal. Take a listen! 

In this week's episode, I share my story as it relates to accountability, my strengths, challenges, and my favorite 4 tips that have helped me stay on track. Setting goals is easy but executing especially with a full plate is the hardest part. 

In this week's episode, I dive into the impacts of planning in uncertain times and my favorite tips that you can use to come up with a plan for your goals. This will help you know exactly what needs to get done to accomplish your goal. 

In this week's episode, I cover tips on how you can refresh and align your goals while in quarantine. You'll learn a little about my planning process and how I've been able to keep up momentum and pivot in a pandemic. Goal setting looks different for all of us for over a year now and while it may be discouraging I want you to have the tools needed to get back on track or realign as needed. 

In this week's episode, I talk through the process of refreshing your goals for quarter two and why it's important you start with yourself. We are the common denominators in our lives, let's audit how you're showing up, how you're feeling, and do overall reflection before we refresh the goals. 

In this week's episode of The Strategic Planner Podcast with me, Tessa Shahid, I cover the number one planning process update you should make to improve your execution. In this episode we cover:  How to improve your planning process Start with brainstormingWhy you need to keep your brainstorming session info in a digital place: One Drive Google Drive One Note Trello The benefits of a digital brainstorm process Instant access Being able to brainstorm on the go How to brainstorm effectively Flush the idea out Outline the idea using what, who, and why  Don't get discouraged | You don't have to execute at the momentHow my brainstorm process helped me launch an idea 3 years later (sold out workshop) Follow me on  Instagram: @thestrategicplanner 

In this week's episode of The Strategic Planner Podcast with me, Tessa Shahid, I cover the 4 planning mistakes that entrepreneurs and side hustlers make and how it impacts their business. In this episode we cover:  Mistake #1: Creating vision boards with no plan The misconception of vision boards Why vision boards aren't the answer Vision boards are a representation of your goals but they are not the plan you need to bring to life  Mistake #2: Not breaking down your goals to a granular level Why your goals should be specific and broken down to a granular level An example of how to break down your revenue goals Granular goals allow you to know what you need to accomplish quarterly, monthly, and even weekly (you're able to course correct/pivot quicker) Mistake #3: Not identifying the resources needed to accomplish your goals The number 1 question you should ask yourself after identifying your goals What goals need to be successful (time, money, staff or you, systems, automation) What two questions you should ask yourself when setting revenue goals Mistake #4: Not taking into consideration personal responsibilities when planning How this mistake impacts side hustlers the most This is the key to obtaining your version of balance which may often change This helps you manage and allocate your time (a major resource) well Doing this sets yourself up for failure Follow me on Instagram: @thestrategicplanner 

In this week's episode of  The Strategic Planner Podcast with me, Tessa Shahid, I give you a walkthrough of the what and why of strategic planning. In this episode we cover: Why strategic planning is more than just goal setting The formal usage of strategic planning in corporate America How and why it's beneficial for corporate side hustlers/entrepreneurs My biggest lesson as a side hustler - a lot of people focus on the goal or a cute vision board and believe that's all they need to accomplish their goals The biggest reason side hustlers need a strategic plan is because: it helps you manage your resources well (your resource is you, you, you, time, money, and systems). It helps you allocate your resources (improve time management, clarity - tells you where you to start, decreases your overwhelm, fluffy to-do lists) It helps you answer the important question of “what do I need to help me accomplish x so I can experience x It helps you create goal-based to-do lists instead of just BAU or run and maintain tasks Actions you can take: Review current projects, do they align with your goals? Review your goals, do you have a plan to accomplish them? If you do not have your goals broken down into a plan, start by listing the steps or activities you need to complete to accomplish them. Ask yourself what resources you need to help you and if you anticipate any challenges.Follow me on Instagram: @thestrategicplanner 

In this week's episode of The Strategic Planner Podcast with me, Tessa Shahid. I give you a look into my #sidehustlestory, why I started this podcast, and why I believe in strategic planning. In this episode we cover: My #sidehustlestory How I landed my first client How my side hustle pivoted over the years Commonalities amongst entrepreneurs, small business owners, and side hustlers The 1 gap that hinders business owners How I juggled building a business + life responsibilities Follow me on Instagram: @thestrategicplanner 

Welcome to The Strategic Planner Podcast! My name is Tessa Shahid - your podcast host, focus cultivator, and strategic planning advisor.  I created this podcast to help you unleash, translate, and organize your sticky notes, unfinished planners, and half-empty notebooks into a plan that you can execute. My number one goal is to help you take your next best step, decrease your overwhelm, and manage your resources so that you can accomplish your business goals. You can expect to hear strategic planning and project management tips, hacks, and best practices with a sprinkle of interviews weekly. Stay tuned for the first episode of The Strategic Planner Podcast with Tessa Shahid.