The arrival of a new year is often seen as a good time for change. This is true for businesses looking to change for the better, too. After some time to stop and reflect over the Christmas break, it's a great time to recognise your goals and instigate positive changes in your business.
Just as the holiday spirit can quickly dwindle, it’s possible for businesses to lose track of their plans and quickly let the daily grind push those nY resolutions to the wayside. When making plans for a new year, it’s important that businesses set achievable resolutions from the start.
Achievable resolutions are all about setting goals that your business is capable of achieving, but are also worth keeping. They should be modest enough to stay within reach, but be big enough to push significant change. Here are a few ways to refine your resolutions:
Set SMART Goals
People usually think of resolutions as goals: “Get in shape” or “Spend more time with family.” While you shouldn’t think of resolutions as just goals, it is a good place to start. After all, your goal will determine everything else.
A good way to set better goals is to follow the SMART rule. Your goals should be:
Here are some examples of how a resolution might be improved using the SMART rule.
Start with: Spend less time managing emails.
Make it SMART: Set up email automation for the five most common transactions or queries.
Do It Step by Step
The best resolutions are made with a plan in mind. Taking the time to plot your progress step by step shows that you’re serious and makes success that much more likely.
A good plan, however, acknowledges the risk of failure. Not only should it show you how to achieve your goal, it should help you figure out whether you’re on track or not. And if you’re off track, it should give you an idea of how to recover. If your plan hinges on hitting long shot after long shot, it may not be feasible in the end.
For example:
Start with: Set up optimised accounts on two social media platforms, each with 500 or more followers by year’s end. (Note that it’s a SMART goal!)
Come up with a plan:
Not only do you have a resolution worth keeping, you have the means to get there laid out ahead of time.
A New Usual
One of the best ways to keep up positive change is to incorporate it into your routine. In other words, by making something new your new normal, you can force yourself to adapt.
For a business resolution, consider focusing on your strengths by changing the way you do things: adopt new software, for instance, or
outsource non-core functions and tasks. Not only is this a feasible, specific change, it will also let you function on your own new year’s
resolutions as a professional.
Want to implement lasting, positive changes in your business? Get in touch with the experts at Easdowns today! We provide business and financial advisory services to help you maximise the potential of your business, achieve your goals and secure your financial future. Until 31 January 2019 we are offering a FREE 30 minute consultation with one of our business advisers to ensure you get the right support to kick-start your new years resolutions.
For more practical business and finance tips, don’t forget to read our blog.
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