Increasingly, I'm ignoring resolutions in my personal life. After the last few years I could argue it's the year's turn to improve, not mine. In business, however, I always try and take it as a time to reflect - on the things I want to improve on, and the things I want to do for the first time.
Whether you're new to business or yours has been around the sun a few times now, these new year's resolutions for freelancers and businesses will set your year off on the right foot.
1) Outsource more than your comfort zone alllows. It's the one and only way I've successfully grown my business.
2) Rest. Take on the work you need, and acknowledge when you shouldn't do more than that.
3) Form a routine. If we're still facing the uncertainty of lockdowns and even more working alone than usual, a routine can provide a lot of stability when things feel tough.
4) Choose a way to market your services and stick to doing it consistently for at least three months before changing tactics (blogging is one great way to do this).
5) If you were employed, and could take any amount of annual leave, how much would you take? Now remind yourself that you're self employed, you don't need permission to take that amount, and you should plot it out in your calendar.
6) Contribute to a freelance community (and make new friends in the process).
7) Write down some quarterly aims (financial, dream client, whatever) and review them every three months.
8) Keep your content fresh. What do people find when they see your website and social media content, is it a true representation of you?
9) Following on from number 8 - be authentic in your messaging. People don't choose to work with businesses, they work with people.
10) Ask yourself how happy you are, regularly (and do something about it if the answer isn't good).
11) Respect your own work boundaries more - that 9pm client email can wait until the morning.
12) Identify what you often leave until the last minute, and put a plan in place to either outsource it or build it into your routine more effectively.
13) Read a new business book every so often to remind yourself of different perspectives and new ideas.
14) As above, but with podcasts.
15) Take a CEO day every so often and use the chance to step back and look in at your business.
16) Ask another freelancer to audit an aspect of your business and offer the same in return to identify gaps in your content or processes.
17) Choose an area of your business to invest in this year, and seek out a professional to find out how to maximise your commitment.
18) Invite another freelancer for coffee (or a Zoom meet, if we really must).
19) Ask your freelance friends how you can support them before a launch they're planning, or just in general...
20) ...and share their content when you can. It's a quick and free way to promote the self employed community.
21) Put your rates up in line with inflation.
22) Make a COVID-secure work plan for sick days (and if you don't have one yet, ask yourself why it's taken two years!).
If 1,8,9,12,16 or 17 struck a chord with you (subtle, I know), maybe it's time to put your content first in 2022. Do you know which aspects of your business story make you appealing to work with? Does your website communicate this in a way that makes your ideal client shout "that's me, I need this!"?
If not, book a free 30 minute session with me and let's start to uncover where your messaging could be improved to get you more clients and put you ahead in your industry.
Do you have your own resolutions for 2022? I'd love to hear them, after all I'll need an extra idea for next year!
Laura x