Can you believe December is here already? Time flies by, especially when you're busy taking care of business —literally. The end of the year is approaching faster than we can tell, and it can easily make anyone feel a little overwhelmed.
Attempting to wrap up the year always seems like an impossible task. Somehow, we try to get everything we couldn't finish in 12 months done in just a few weeks, which is not only unrealistic —it is also unnecessary.
The truth is you don't need to begin the year with a blank page as nothing happened before that. What you need is to define where you are when the year ends appropriately, so you can clearly, determine where to start the next.
Here are some tips to help you set up your business for a prosperous new year.
Looking back at your year will allow you to identify both the things that went well and your improvement areas. Ask your staff, colleagues, and partners for feedback about the overall operation of your business, so you can have enough material to work on a plan for the year that follows.
Identify your strengths and weaknesses, then put together a game plan for your business for the year to come. Set a primary goal for your year and break that down into smaller milestones that you can gradually achieve during the next 12 months. This is a good strategy that will help you stay on track.
When small tasks come in bulk, they take up a lot of time and can be a distraction from your main goal. If you have paperwork you've been putting off, emails that are waiting for your response, or final details that need addressing on a project, take time to get those resolved. That will help to start the new year with only those very important/demanding tasks that require your full attention.
It doesn't sound like a big deal, but an overflowing inbox can cause lots of unnecessary stress. Schedule some time to review your inbox and classify your unread emails. Delete those that can be deleted, label the ones you want to keep and create rules or filters to keep your inbox in check. Also, make a reminder for yourself to clean up your mailbox at least once a month, so it doesn't get out of control.
Set up your independent insurance agency for success this new year. It's the little things that will make a difference.