New Year, New Start…

The New Year is very often the time when we reassess our lives, set new goals and dream of a better future for ourselves. We are in theory a bit wiser and have a brand new year ahead of us to explore different aspirations and set new goals, further developing ourselves and our relationships and refocusing our attention on what is important in our lives. So what should matter the most when thinking about how to make the next year better than the last?

Workplace
We spend an enormous proportion of our waking hours at work so why not make the most of it? Nobody likes to work alongside a negative influence, so why not become the most positive contributor that you can be while in the workplace? As employees, we should realise that we may be individuals, with ambitions for further promotion or development, but we are also members of a larger team. There is no reason that you cannot advance as well as being a source of inspiration or guidance to those that work alongside you. If you walked out of the organisation tomorrow how would you be remembered? As an asset or a hindrance? 

As business owners or managers, you will have a team of employees or suppliers that have to deal with you on a regular basis. So what sort of person will they be working for or supplying to? As business or organisational leaders, we should be setting examples for others to aspire to. The business climate that will prevail during 2018 is anybody’s guess, especially with the Brexit countdown drawing to a close. So employees and dependent suppliers and other businesses will be looking around at what other leaders will be doing. Shouldn’t we then be examples of sound business leadership and practice? 2018 should be the year for strong and ethical organisations to shine.

Family
Nobody feels the immediate effects of workplace stresses more than our family members and partners. It is far too easy to come home from work and unload in whatever manner on those closest to us, with directly or otherwise. So maybe we should remember this more going into the New Year. Respecting our partners and considering our family and friends more can be challenging when things get tough, but this does not excuse poor behaviour on our side. Not bringing our work into our relationships in a negative way can be an intricate balancing act, but not an impossible one. Think about your bad habits that affect others and replace them with more productive and considerate ones. It really is that simple. 

Starting Your Own Business
If we don’t like our work or hate our jobs then maybe 2018 is the year to change that? Maybe the New Year is a time to be brave and stop being timid. That is not to say be irrational, and that starting a new enterprise is without risk. But if you have a desire to accomplish something you shouldn’t put it off indefinitely, because sooner or later you will run out of time. You will either scare yourself out of the idea of taking a calculated risk, or somebody will execute the very concept that you had and they will reap the rewards instead of you. Don’t settle for being the person that ​“could’ve done that, but…” (insert excuse here). 

Brexit and changing political landscapes should not put anybody off thinking about a starting a new business because there will always be a reason not to start. The timing will never be perfect. But one is for certain. There will be people who calculate the risks and then take them anyway. Some will fail, but some will succeed. Then some of those entrepreneurs that are successful will become tomorrow’s examples of how to do business. There is no reason this cannot be you.

Into the New Year…
2018 is going to bring about changes in technology, political leadership and global developments. Closer to home we will all experience events and developments that we never planned for either. Some good, some challenging. We need to decide if we want to embrace the future and make positive changes in our professional and personal lives, or will we be happy just constantly reacting to events around us?

The trick is to galvanise our will and direction before the year really gets underway and decide and commit to what we really want, and what we really think we should be doing. We should go into the New Year with the aim of making ourselves, our family and friends and the those we come into contact with look at us and see a person who is a positive influence on the whole. The world needs more people like this.