I am continuing to post ideas lawyers I coached are using to prepare their 2012 plan.

Jodi McDougall, a partner with Cozen O’Connor in their Seattle, office shared her approach with me:

I’m planning for next year by first reviewing this past year. I’m going through my goals from last year and seeing what I’ve achieved as well as what I didn’t. For those goals I achieved, I give myself a pat on the back, or better yet a few hours at the spa. I also look around me and see those who helped me to achieve my goals. For example, my parents who are always there to step in and love my kids when my husband and I accidentally schedule a deposition the same day. I express my thanks through a note, a kind gesture or a gift. I let them know that I recognize their contributions to my success.

I also look to last year’s achievements and determine what I want to do again and how to improve on those goals. For example,  a few things I’ve done this year have made me really happy. My children ran in two 5K races with me – it was a blast and makes me glad I started exercising again once Cordell and I started working together. Now they are into it too. I also took my family on a business trip to London (after having gone there at least 30-40 times by myself). It was great, they loved it and we spent the weekend in Paris. For some reason I feel a little less stressed the past couple of months, but haven’t put my finger on “why.” It is not because I’m doing less. I think it is because I am more focused and doing things I enjoy. I’ll spend some time figuring that out because I want to continue to feel that way.

For those goals I didn’t reach, I try to figure out why I fell short and either set the goal again or adjust it to make it more reasonable and achievable. I remind myself of how good it feels to achieve the goals I set and give myself a fresh start and let go of my past shortcoming.

Finally, I will take some time at the end of the year to relax and enjoy my family. I recharge my batteries so that I will be ready to go when January 1, 2012 rolls around.