2021 is right around the corner and many are eager to leave 2020 far behind. With this new year comes a fresh start and the opportunity to set new resolutions.
Often New Year’s resolutions are mocked since after the first few weeks of January, they have already been forgotten or abandoned. However, this doesn’t have to be the case. If you have business goals you genuinely want to achieve next year, here are some tips on making your resolutions a reality.
Make Your Resolutions Known
One reason New Year’s resolutions are easy to brush under the rug is if no one else knows about them but you. Inform your team what your business goals are for 2021. Letting them know not only helps with accountability but improves the likelihood of you reaching your objective if they are all working toward the same thing.
Sometimes the added weight of external expectations can be the necessary fuel to drive you toward your target goals. If you want additional accountability, consider joining or sharing your business resolutions with a peer group. They might have advice on how to reach your goal and can call you out if they see you straying from your plans.
Break the Goal Down
Another reason so many resolutions go unfulfilled is because they are either too unrealistic or there is no plan to actually implement the changes. A common way to ensure your resolutions are not too lofty is to use the S.M.A.R.T method. This requires you to evaluate if your resolution is specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-specific.
If it meets these criteria, then develop an actual game plan as to how you intend to reach your goal. If you’re wanting to improve your digital presence, some of the steps could be hiring a social media manager, adding a blog to your website and posting regularly.
Focus on a Few
Tasks always seem more daunting when you are faced with a seemingly never-ending laundry list. Don’t come up with over 20 resolutions for one year and then be shocked when you fail to follow through with any of them. If you have a lot of areas you’re looking to improve, try to group them into similar categories and then focus on that one theme for the year. For instance, you could choose the retention of both your customers and employees as your purpose for the year.
Assess Your Progress
Once you’ve outlined the behaviors and action steps needed to make certain changes, track your progress. This goes back to the ‘Is it measurable?’ question you should ask with the S.M.A.R.T method. If you have no way to track your progress throughout the year, you cannot know to course correct when you’re getting off track. Even if you do realize your company has drifted from the objective you set at the first of the year, it’s never too late to start moving in the right direction again.
If the numbers are showing progress, it adds to your team’s motivation when you share that success with them and they realize their efforts are making a difference.
