3 Key Things To Do As A Small Business Owner In The New Year

It’s a NEW YEAR! The holidays are over, we’re all starting to head back to work and new clients are hitting your inbox. Which means it’s the perfect time to take a look at your business and how you can set yourself up for a great new year ahead. I know we’ve talked about contract audits, when you should trademark, taxes, all those big business topics, but today I want to chat about more simple business tips I use to help improve mental and physical health. These are all the things I want to make more time for in the coming year and I hope you do too!

1. Organize, Organize, Organize!

Now is the time to take a look at the spaces you’re working in and what you’re working with! It's probably time to rearrange your office space, get a yearly planner, or upgrade to a client management system. For those of us in the wedding industry this is considered “slow season”, so why not take the time to get your backend systems and your workspace in order. 

Having a space that you actually want to work in will be HUGE for your productivity and mental health! I recently revamped my office space and got this amazing standing-sitting desk that I can’t recommend enough.

Another important thing to do in January is to organize your email inbox. I know, I know.... your email can be a daunting place--I SEE YOU 981724398751243+ emails unopened people. I personally REALLY need to go through my emails and put them into specific folders (hand raised, guilty as charged). Hence, why I highly recommend doing this task. Alll you need to do is go through your non-read emails and either delete them or read them (get that pesky red bubble number from pinging you everytime you open your email!). Email organization is a prolonged process, but doing a little bit now is a really phenomenal way to start the year off fresh.

2. Prioritize Rest & Your Mental Health

With winter here, dreary weather and the slower client bookings means prioritizing your mental health and REST. Make a list of what helps you re-energize and relax. For me, I really enjoy spending time with my family (especially some cuddles with my pup, Sugar), getting on my Peloton, reading a self-help book, winding down the day with a glass of red wine and cooking a yummy dinner with Marko. These simple moments energize me and build me back up, which is something I want to make a point to do more in 2021 and you should too. 

Some other ideas for you are:

• Make a workout plan (choose an activity you enjoy) and stick to it! Your plan can be as simple as walking 30 minutes a day; choose whatever is right for you!
• Meal prep! Having good whole meals for yourself ahead of time will get you into the habit of having them ready when you’re busier and have less time to cook healthier meals.
• WHATEVER REST MEANS FOR YOU!  Curling up in front of the TV with some popcorn and a beer, going on an adventure with your friends, having a date night with your significant other, if that’s what rest means to you then make time for it! Take advantage of rest whenever you can get it and use that time to come back into your business more ready than ever.

3. Consider Your Goals For the Year

If you were a business owner in 2020 you’ve most likely had your business go through some big changes rather quickly.  Which makes this a great time to have a check-in with yourself and think about your yearly goals. Think through what you want to accomplish this year and break down that list into smaller more quickly attainable goals that will help you reach those larger ones. It seems like unnecessary work, but I PROMISE it’s so much easier to visualize and get to where you want your business to be when you have your goals already thought out. 

Keep in mind though that businesses are constantly in flux, so you never know what will happen in the coming year.  Don’t be hard on yourself if your goals aren't achieved, use them as a lesson for what you’ll prioritize for the next year. And, remember, they need to be SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time bound)!

I’m sure you’ve seen the memes saying “tip toe slowly into 2021” and that is ABSOLUTELY the energy I’m approaching 2021 with. Start this year with some rest, some reevaluation, and some backend business audits (plus personal audits!) to give you the energy to move forward with your best year of business yet. 

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