This week we have a guest post from Patricia of Save Your Time Biz Solutions on how having an accountability partner has worked for her.

When people hear that I work with my twin sister, most of them say, “that’s so great!” And in a lot of ways, it really is. Our skills complement each other and we’re there to get each other through the inevitable ups and downs of starting a business. Still, we do have some trouble holding each other accountable. Mostly because our minds are constantly running and it’s easy to get distracted when you have a lot of ideas.

When we went to the Mombiz Retreat this past September, we clicked so well with the women there that I decided to approach one of them to be my accountability partner. It’s been 3 months and I have to say, it’s awesome! I joked about having so many December birthdays in our family that I’m officially moving my daughter’s birthday to November. And she replied with, “Happy Belated birthday!” I was really lucky to find someone that really gets me.

I know that finding a good accountability partner isn’t easy. If you’re already involved in associations, forums or Facebook groups, simply reach out to those people. Make a post that you’re looking for an accountability partner, you might get a few volunteers. Once you find someone you think is a good fit, discuss your expectations so you’re on the same page.

Here’s how me and my accountability partner work together.

1. We meet once a week via Skype for 30-60 minutes.  We have a set meeting time which helps with keeping me on track through the week. If Friday rolls around and I start slacking off I think about how we have our meeting on Monday and all of a sudden I find the energy to cross a few more things off my list. She’s expressed a similar sentiment, that even as things come up she finds herself going back to her list because she knows we’ll discuss it at our next meeting.
2. We send each other our goals for the week on Sunday. I created a template that we send back & forth every week. It’s so much easier to have a template, plus I added a cute graphic at the top to make it more visually appealing. I’ve heard that while writing down your goals makes you that much likely to follow through, making them public is even better. I’ve definitely noticed an increase in my productivity since we started exchanging goal lists.
3. During the session we talk about the progress we made on last week’s goals and the goals we have for the coming week, and any other ideas we might need to bounce off each other.

So if you’re thinking of finding yourself an accountability partner, go for it! Find someone who is willing to invest the same amount of energy that you are, and someone you enjoy interacting with. Before you know it you may be crossing some major goals off your list!

Patricia Talavera works with driven entrepreneurs who struggle with finding time to market their business achieve a strong & consistent online brand. Visit her website at http://www.saveyourtimebizsolutions to download a complimentary website assessment.