2021 WAS MEANT TO BE YOUR YEAR, RIGHT?
After the ups and downs of 2020, it was time to put lockdowns and alert levels behind you and smash out 2021.
Unfortunately, the universe had other plans and 2021 actually ended up being more challenging than 2020. So now, 2022 is going to be your year for business growth and success. Goodness knows you deserve success after the last 2 years!
But how are you going to do it?
Well, the first step is to read this blog as it is packed full of information on how to put 2021 behind us and grab 2022 by the horns! Check out our best tips for making 2022 your year for success.
WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNT?
Before you can move forward, it is important to reflect on what has happened so that you can be crystal clear on your current business position. It is tempting to sweep 2021 and everything that happened in it under the rug. But, by conducting a review, you can put yourself in a really strong position to move forward.
So, crack open those digital records and give your business a review. Ask yourself the following questions:
● What worked well - what were your most profitable products/services?
● What internal processes helped you to keep going?
● Did you make any business pivots and how did they play out?
● Did you implement any cost saving measures and were they effective?
● What didn’t work so well and what can you learn from it?
● Are there things you could have done better?
Once you arm yourself with important learnings from 2021, you can implement changes to make 2022 a better year.
WHAT CAN YOU DO DIFFERENTLY?
If 2022 is going to be your year, then you are going to have to make some changes to your approach. If you don’t, you can’t expect different results!
Here are some simple things that you can do to make 2022 your year for success:
1: BREAK THE TIES
It is so easy to become consumed by your inbox. You sit down, knowing exactly what you want to achieve today and how you are going to do it. But, then there are emails to deal with, queries to answer, quote requests to prepare, meeting requests to respond to, and goodness knows what else.
Before you know it, three hours of your day have gone and you are no closer to completing those jobs you planned out this morning. So, it is time to break ties with your inbox. Not permanently of course, but set some parameters for when you will deal with your emails.
Only check your inbox at set times of the day and have a set period of time to deal with what’s in there. Or, you could take it one step further and engage our team to manage your inbox for you. We can handle 90% of your inbox - client queries, diary management, quotes and more - freeing up hours of your day to get the important things done!
2: BATCH YOUR TIME
Did you know that you lose 20 minutes every time you switch tasks? It takes your brain that long to refocus on what you are doing if you get interrupted or switch partway through.
Gain momentum and focus by batching all of your like tasks together. Send invoices all at once, schedule your client meetings one after the other on the same day, create social media content in one session… basically, group repetitive tasks together so your brain only has to focus on one thing at a time.
Don’t forget to delegate or outsource any super repetitive tasks that don’t specifically need to be completed by you. You can pass these onto other members of your team or to a virtual assistant (VA).
3: EMBRACE DIGITAL
One thing that 2021 was great at teaching us is that there is a digital solution for mostly everything!
It means you can work remotely from most locations (including a cafe or your beach bach), time-wasting meetings can become an email or a shared collaborative document, and drawn-out conferences can be conducted as online symposiums.
While it is great to connect with people in person, sometimes the digital alternative is just as effective and can save a lot of wasted commuting time, as well as unnecessary travel costs.
4: GET PROACTIVE
It’s very easy to fall into a reactive state, putting out fires as they happen. But, if you can manage to be more proactive, then you can prevent some of those fires from even starting at all!
Consider how you could be more proactive in your business. Would it mean automating tasks or communications with the right software, putting systems or processes in place for how certain tasks are to be undertaken, implementing Standard Operating Procedures and accompanying manuals?
There are many ways you can put your business on the front foot. So, think about how you can do this for 2022.
5: GET GOOD SUPPORT
Running a business can feel really isolating. You know the buck stops with you, so you take on many responsibilities. But, by trying to do everything yourself, you could be holding your business back.
Your output will be restricted to whatever you can cram into your own week. No one can do business alone, so now is the time to find the GOOD support that you need to excel in 2022.
Consider what skills you have in your existing team and what responsibilities they could take on. If you don’t have a team, or their days are already filled, then it may be time to consider a Virtual Assistant (VA). A GOOD VA can take on all those tasks that need to be done, but you don’t really have time to do. Inbox and diary management, expenses, travel, invoices, content creation - our team of expert VAs can do it all, and more!
