Yes, December is upon us. It’s likely you’re winding down a bit now (in business and otherwise). It’s easy to let this business month pass you by while you’re focused on buying pressies and indulging in the odd mince pie!
But December doesn’t have to be a month where you simply tie up loose ends and make room for the new activities January will bring. You can use this time just as wisely as you would any other month while making the most of the slower pace and cosy vibes.
It’s a great time to look back and reflect on your business year.
You know what it’s like, things pass us by in the blink of an eye sometimes before we’ve really had an opportunity to take stock of what happened. We’re all so ‘go go go’ hurtling forwards with the pedal to the metal that we forget to give our rear-view mirror a glimpse (let alone a good peruse!)
But what’s gone before will always give us a great indication of what’s to come. If we take notice, that is. You know what they say, hindsight has 20/20 vision, so why not cash in on that and use it to inform and inspire your future plan of attack?!
Here’s what I invite you to do. Grab a notepad and pen (or lots of coloured pens if you’re into making things look pretty!) Grab a mug (or glass) of your favourite beverage, get in comfy clothes (blanket optional) and get on the sofa.
Sounds good so far, right?
Take some time to relax and ask yourself a few questions. Don’t think too long or hard about these, just keep the chilled vibe going and jot down your answers.
- ✅ What’s gone well for my business this year?
- ✅ What wins have I celebrated?
- ✅ What wins do I still need to celebrate?
- ✅ How can I take these wins forward into next year?
- ✅ What can I keep doing well in order to progress?
- ✅ What brand new strengths have I uncovered?
- ✅ When did I feel the biggest sense of achievement?
- ✅ When did I feel the most happy and aligned?
You can daydream and jot down as much as you like – you may even want to add more.
Of course, what’s likely to happen is you’ll start to get a sense of what needs improving – this is great as well – take it as it comes to you….
- ✅ What changes do I want to make?
- ✅ How can I simplify things?
- ✅ Where can I be more effective?
- ✅ What do I need to leave behind?
It’s just as important to reflect and review as it is to plan. You’ll learn from where you’ve been and what you’ve been doing. It really is a gift to give yourself, this time to reflect and see more clearly.
And remember to factor in life outside of your business as well. It’s so easy to get caught up in the hustle and grind culture, and we all know that can lead to burnout! So make sure you include a list of things that make your heart happy. Remember why you wanted your own business in the first place, and make a commitment to prioritise yourself too.
You’ll be looking back in order to look forward to looking forwards!
- ✅ How do you want to spend your time when you’re not at your desk?
- ✅ What ‘out of office’ activities inspire you and make you feel wonderful?
- ✅ What daily habits keep you feeling on top of the world?
- ✅ Where do you need to make room for you?
- ✅ What boundaries do you need to establish?
And after all that hard work, treat yourself to a Baileys and a couple of chocs off the tree (I won’t tell if you don’t 😉).
