And so this is Christmas
And what have you done?
Another year over
And a new one just begun

John Lennon

Apologies for planting that earworm (I have done it to myself if that makes it any better) but many business owners and managers tend to use this time to reflect on what was 2023, and go about setting some goals for 2024.

It’s the perfect time for a reset.

If you haven’t done this before, it doesn’t need to be complicated:

Step 1: Imagine your perfect world. (Almost broke into another John Lennon song there!) What would your business look like in 12 months’ time? This could be anything from revenue to staffing to product or service offerings to… well, anything really! Whatever is important to you. To keep it simple, just pick one for the next step.

Step 2: Considering where you are now relative to your goal, what steps would you need to take to get there? What needs to change? This might look scary or unachievable, but that’s okay. Because your next step is:

Step 3: Break it into weekly tasks. And I say tasks here because these are things you have to do. Action is required. Setting weekly goals is too abstract for me. It’s got to be on my todo list to get done. It’s non-negotiable.

Now it’s true that “what gets measured gets improved” so having a monthly or quarterly review of your progress is absolutely worthwhile. Imperative, actually.

And the beauty of having a goal that’s a little scary is great, because even if you don’t make it all the way, how much better will things be than if you had done nothing?

If you haven’t done this before, you now have no excuse. And you can tell me about your progress next year!

And before we move into next year, Friday the 22nd will be the last workday for many. But not all! To those who do work through the Christmas and New Year period, thank you for keeping things running while it feels like the rest of the world is on holiday.

And for those who don’t have to, please be patient with those who are. It can be a stressful time of year for many, so a little understanding and empathy can go a long way.

On behalf of the Chamber, I hope you all have a happy and safe Christmas and New Year, and we look forward to working with you in 2024.