4 Ways to End the Year Strong in Your Business

When the year winds down, you may find yourself reflecting on what you’ve accomplished with your business the past few months.

You might even feel guilty or regretful for not checking a few boxes off your to-do list.

But don’t forget: You still have one month left in the year. That’s plenty of time to achieve some of your goals before the New Year hits.

Let’s talk about how you can make the last month of the year really count.

How to Make the Most of the Last Month of the Year

1 | Review your goals and accomplishments

In order to plan ahead for the New Year, you have to see how far you’ve come this year. And since 2020 has been a doozy, this is an extra important task I recommend doing. 

Set aside some time to reflect on what you’ve done and learned the past 12 months in your business. What worked and what didn’t? What stressed you out the most? What were your finances like? Overall, how did you feel?

Look over any short-term and long-term goals, too. Did you cross any off your list this year? How can you adjust your plans to reach your goals next year?

Related post: How To Review Your Year & Plan For The Next Year 

2 | Prepare for time off

Whether you celebrate any holidays in December or not, many business owners and companies slow down during this month. Now is a great time to give yourself a break and take time off if you’re able.

I know, it sounds weird to say “take time off” when we’re talking about ending the year on a high note! But when you own a business, it can be seriously hard letting yourself take a day off. You might not like that feeling of being unavailable to people who need you. Or you may feel like you could be getting so much work done during your time off.

I’ve been there. It takes practice letting yourself relax without feeling guilty. But you know what? If you don’t care for yourself, you can’t give your business your best. 

Related post: How We Fit It All In As Business Owners & Still Have A Life

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3 | Organize your workflow

Goals planned out? Check. Time off for yourself penciled in? Check. 

Now you can organize your work calendar to meet those goals. If you realized that you could improve your workflow during your review in the first step, why not make some changes now?

For example, let’s say you want to improve your focus during the day so you’re more productive. Maybe you assign certain days of the week for client phone calls and video chats, like Tuesday and Thursday, so you can put your head down and work the other days of the week. 

Here’s another tip: schedule certain times during the day to check your emails. That way you’re not constantly being pulled out of the zone to respond to them.

Related post: How To Increase Your Reach Without Sacrificing Your Time & Energy

4 | Let go of things you don’t need

You start planning your work calendar and tweaking your workflow, and then you realize…there are some tasks and projects you just won’t be able to get done in December. What do you do? 

Sometimes we keep hammering away at a project or task because we think, “well, I’ve spent this much time on it already, so I need to keep going.” But that’s not true! If these tasks and projects are no longer important to you and your business, consider letting them go. Taking something off your to-do list can feel really liberating. 

I’m not suggesting you quit every project that you’re stuck in the middle of, but think about whether it’s actually in line with your goals. Will the outcome be worth your time and energy? Or can it be shelved for later, or let go completely?

Final Thoughts 

You can get a lot done in just one month! Review your short-term and long-term goals. Reorganize your workflow and set up some strategies for time management and productivity. 

And of course, remember that some tasks can be pushed out, shelved for later, or completely let go. You don’t need to do all the things if it’s costing you your mental health and wellbeing. Remember to give yourself a break, because you’ve earned it!