Feeling exhausted, spread thin, strung out, and ready for some time-out?
We hear you!
Running a business can be hard. And by the end of the year most business owners are running on empty. Which is understandable, but it’s not great for you or your business in the long run.
Even when things are tough, it’s so vital to celebrate the wins and get some rest. And before you say, “I just don’t have the time,” it’s essential to make the time for celebration and rest in your business.
Ready to leave this year behind and hit the ground running in the new year?
Well, let’s explore why you need to recharge, reflect and reset before business planning for the year ahead.
The Power Of Celebrating
When you are running on empty and have a zillion things to do, it’s tempting to just power through without stopping to celebrate your wins, let alone acknowledge them. In reality, you are robbing yourself of some valuable motivation – and much-deserved moments of pride and enjoyment!
You’ve worked so hard to achieve your goals. So, it’s important to take the time to pause, reflect on how far you’ve come, and appreciate your successes, be they big or small.
Whether you run your business alone or have a great team around you, celebrating the wins matters. Even a simple ‘thank you’ from a client or manager has been found to boost productivity by as much as 50 percent.
Every time you make a sale, get a new client, launch a website or receive a positive review, why not celebrate it! You don’t have to fork out for a team dinner every time – even a round of high fives and mini chocolate bars provide a morale boost that keeps everyone positive and motivated to continue moving forward.
Why Rest Is Vital
We all know the keys to a successful business, right? Consistency, productivity, efficiency, time-management – and all those fantastic buzzwords.
But how about rest?
While it may feel counterproductive to slow down, slotting in regular days of rest is essential. It’s not just for your own mental and physical health, but for the sake of your business too.
Your brain works like a muscle. That means it certainly gets tired and doesn't operate so well if overused. Time out from work helps rejuvenate your mind so you can concentrate effectively when you are back in the office.
Rest also promotes creativity and innovation, enhances focus, concentration, and productivity, helps you make better decisions, and generally makes you better able to run your business.
Pushing yourself to the point of burnout is a no-win situation, something I learned the hard way. You don’t need me to tell you that you should take regular breaks during the workday and not take work home. But it can be hard to give ourselves permission to stop.
Reminding myself that the work is never done and I’ll be much more effective if I’m not running on empty helps me to enjoy having some downtime.
Take Time To Remember Your “Why” When Business Planning
Do you remember why you started your own business? Was it so you could work harder than ever, never have downtime, and be constantly stressed? I didn't think so!
We go into business with the dream of the life we will create… one with freedom, flexibility, financial success and using our skills to make the world a better place.
But we get so busy “doing” that we forget to stop and check that we are doing the things that matter.
And that can be a problem, because your business exists to help you have the life you want not to take over your life.
If it’s been a while since you connected with your reasons for going into business, now is the perfect time to reconnect. That way, you can have them front of mind while business planning for the coming year.
Take Stock And Refresh
The Christmas break is the perfect time to take stock of where you are and where you want to be this time next year. If you haven’t had a breather in a while, schedule it in. Even if this is the busiest time of year for your business, find the time to celebrate that you got through it. Rest up so you are ready to face the new year with enthusiasm and clarity about what’s most important for you.
A new year is on the horizon. While you are taking time out to reflect, celebrate, and reconnect with your why, you also need to start putting feelers out about what the next year may hold for your business planning.
If you need some support and encouragement or feel like business planning is super complicated and overwhelming please get in touch. We've got some easy to implement strategies that will make a huge difference in your business.
