The end of the year is nearly here and with it, the pressure to get everything in order before the holidays in preparation for the new year. Your end-of-year goals don’t have to be achievements, they can simply be tasks you complete or moments you have for yourself.
It’s important to take stock of the past year while setting goals for the coming one. You can also benefit from listing your wins from the year. Practicing gratitude can make you happier and help you keep dreaded burnout away.
We’ll cover nine things for you to do in the last month of the year to help reflect on the year passed and prepare for the year to come.
9 things to do to meet your end of year goals
To help you reach your goals and reflect on the year, here are nine things you can do.
1. Schedule holiday social and blog posts
First off, take some time off to recharge around the holidays if you can. So your business doesn’t go completely dark during these days, set some social and blog posts to go out to your students and followers during the holidays. Prepping your content ahead of time will allow you to enjoy the holidays without working. Plus, it will help you feel more at ease with your work because you won’t feel like you’re being unproductive.
2. Note blackout dates on your school calendar during the holidays
In addition to scheduling your social media and blog posts, add a note to your school, or message your students, to let them know about any blackout dates when you won’t be working. It’s normal and expected for people to be unavailable during the holidays so set an out-of-office message that will automatically go to students who email you during the holidays.
Let them know when you’ll be back and available to them again. Highlight any big projects you have coming in the next year to get students excited. You can also use this message to encourage your students to also rest and restore for the coming year.
3. Send surveys to your students
The end of the year is a great time to send surveys around to your students. You can then use their feedback to update your school and refresh it for the coming year. This refresh can go a long way in ensuring that everything is up-to-date and ready for your existing and your new students. A great end-of-year goal for improving your content.
4. Ask students for testimonials
Even if you already have testimonials to feature on your school or in other marketing assets, consider asking students to submit some. It can’t hurt to have some fresh ones to update your materials or to have on deck when the time to update comes along. Featuring these testimonials on your school can help prospective students decide to enroll.
5. Review your finances
One end-of-year goal not to skip? Taking time to look at your finances from the last year.
Consider whether you’re charging enough for your school’s offerings. If you’re not sure, check out our blog post on how to price your online course. You can also use this time to review subscriptions you pay for. Are there any you signed up for and forgot to cancel? Take some time to come up with a rough budget for the year and remember to build in some extra padding for unforeseen costs.
Try to identify where your money went over the last year and whether you got a good return on it. Consider whether you should invest in paid advertising or start offering coaching services. Getting familiar with your business finances can seem daunting but it’s the best way to get more comfortable taking the reins when it comes to money. Remember, when in doubt, always contact a tax or finance professional.
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6. Create a list of wins or achievements from the past year
The work you’ve done for your business and for your students shouldn’t go unrecognized. Write down a list of your accomplishments and the things you’re grateful for from the last year.
Doing this can help you better identify the things that make running your school feel worth it to you and refresh your energy for why you do what you do in the new year.
7. Consider your goals for the coming year
Set goals for the coming year—and keep them realistic. After looking at your finances and your wins from the past year, use those to help formulate your goals for the coming year. Keep in mind that goals can change as necessary, but having them in place going into the new year can help guide you.
Your goals don’t need to be overwhelming and lofty. Maybe your goal is to read three productivity books or to see a certain amount of growth on your social media pages. Whatever goal you decide is best for you, come up with some steps to help you get there on the road to success.
8. Connect with a mentor
Set up an end-of-year touch base with your mentor. If you don’t have one, consider finding one! Consider those in your network who you feel you can learn from. See if they feel comfortable acting as a mentor and helping teach you. You never know what benefits might come from a simple connection.
The end of the year can be a great time to show them some gratitude and work with them to refine those goals you have for the coming year. Remember that your mentor wants to help you and see you succeed. Utilize them as a resource for growing your business.
9. Clean and organize your workspace
A clean and organized workspace is one of the keys to productivity. Set aside some time to do this so it’s not a task you continuously put off. A great time to do it would be before you take a break for the holidays so when you come back you’re ready to go and organized. You can also leave yourself a to-do list of projects in progress and tasks to check off your list upon returning to your work refreshed from a break.
Reaching your end of year goals
With these nine end of year tips in mind you should be set up to enjoy the holidays and be refreshed and ready to go in the new year. Don’t forget to keep your goals realistic for you and to give yourself permission and time to rest and recharge.
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