Now that the hype of the New Year is behind us it’s a bit easier to look forward through a more realistic lens. Many resolution and goal-setting plans exist, and in that late December period, the number of offers can make your head spin. That’s why I like to get past the holidays so that I can think more clearly about my focus for the next year.  The following resources are making a noticeable difference for me this year and I want to recommend them for your consideration:

Yearly planning: Planning for an entire year can be daunting. However, if you want to want to improve your _____ life (work, home, social…) you need to plan. An impressive resource I found recently is The Best Year Ever, a 5-day series of videos and worksheets that will help you plan your year effectively. This comes from Michael Hyatt, one of my favorite leadership experts, who’s all about helping leaders leverage their influence.

Weekly planning: To write a long-term vision or even a yearly plan, and not work at it each week, is as futile as saying you’re going to see the world but never making travel plans. Bill Zipp, a leadership guru who helps executive leaders accelerate their business growth, has the perfect answer: The Hour That Changes Everything. In this post Bill explains how spending one hour a week—30 minutes planning the week, then a 5-minute daily check-in—will help you stay true to your highest priorities while responding to the challenges each new day, and week, bring.

Invest some time (and a bit of money) in yourself using the resources listed above; you will have a high return on your investment.

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The Product Management Perspective: Product planning creates heartburn for some, and outright fear for other. Planning for the next year or beyond is intimidating. Though the resources above are not specific to product planning, the ideas will help. What will help even more? If you, the product manager, apply these principles to yourself, in your own yearly and weekly planning.