As we approach the festive time of year many businesses take an extended break from the workshop/office/factory, etc.
With 2023 only just around the corner, now is a good time for business owners to review 2022 & look forward to the new year with a fresh, open & positive mind.
Despite the challenges the UK’s political landscape have caused the UK this year, economic uncertainty & now the energy crisis; business owners need to ensure that they are always one step ahead of the challenges running a business can throw at them, particularly during the months leading up to & directly after Christmas.
One way sole traders & SME’s can be ready to take on a new year is to look after their physical/mental wellbeing & take time to reflect on their business’s successes & plan forward. Here are just a few ideas to take any business into a new year.
One of the simplest business tools for any business is a SWOT Analysis. Identifying the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, or threats in any business, is a productive way to analyse & celebrate the successes & address the areas needing attention.
Whether an established business seeking ways to re-focus, or a start-up looking at ways to identify their core strengths & opportunities, SWOT can help re-direct & re-focus any business at any time.
At the core of any successful business is a business plan.
With outside influences like economic uncertainty, international changes, political changes & personal changes; a business plan needs to have inbuilt flexibility to accommodate the changing face of the environment your business is in.
The Covid19 pandemic has certainly changed business planning models, with many businesses now including contingency planning as part of their long term business plans.
The fundamental key to any business plan, is that it helps drives any business forward.
Monthly/quarterly/yearly financial report to support planning
Financial reporting & information from your financial advisors, can really help any business owner get a broader view of their financial landscape.
Knowing where your core customer base is, which products/services are most successful/least successful; can go a long way to understanding where & how your business can continue to thrive.
Physical & Mental health
As a business owner you know that it is important to keep tabs on your physical & mental health. During the cold weather when it is easier to reach for starchy comfort food, now is the time to fill up on fresh fruits & vegetables, stay hydrated & increase immune boosting Vitamin D & C (zinc)
A lot of people in the UK feel particularly restless, lethargic, or irritable during the Winter months.
A combination of going to work in the dark & coming home in the dark, the cold making it more difficult to move around & the obligatory cold or the sniffles; can all add up to making you feel under the weather & suffer from low mood.
One way you can help to combat those glum winter feelings is by getting outdoors.
UK Government guidelines advise taking a Vitamin D supplement over the winter months. Although we do absorb some Vitamin D from the foods we eat, the sunlight during the winter months doesn’t contain enough UVB radiation to produce Vitamin D.
Getting outside in the daylight is particularly effective in combatting signs of fatigue, tiredness & SAD (Seasonal Adjustment Disorder)
Whether it be a brisk walk around the block, or a full Winter trudge through a local park or woodland; being amongst nature is a natural mood booster & gives you wonderful memories to see you through the rest of your working week.
Note: Virtually Smart Ltd are not health care professionals. The above information is generalised & can be sought through any public access internet search. Should you feel unwell or be suffering with mental health issues, you should seek professional medical attention
Written by Katy-Jane Mason for & on behalf of Virtually Smart Ltd
