It might just be one day of the year but the New Year brings so much hope. It also gives us time to look back on the whole year and look ahead towards the next.
2020 has been especially difficult for everyone. If anything, this crisis has given us a lot of realizations and learnings we do want to bring to next year. As the world continues to recover from the pandemic, it’s time that we pause for deep introspection and prime what we are bringing with us as we welcome chapter 2021.
1. Recalibrate, reprioritize
Going towards the end of the year, we always find ourselves looking back on what happened the past year. Some of us even use this time to plan for resolutions we hope to keep as the calendar pages turn.
But now, more than ever, we should set a time to process what happened in 2020. Whether in our personal lives or our businesses, let’s take this moment to introspect and assess what transpired last year: the learnings, the mistakes, the missed opportunities. It’s normal to confront your priorities and goals last year because they might have to change after what happened.
For your business, go back to the basics: what are the essentials for your business? What strategy would you use moving forward? If ever there was a time to start a clean slate and draw a map to your recalibrated future, this is it. Let your experiences last year inform you of what to do to face what lies ahead.
2. It’s okay to part ways
We had to say goodbye to a lot of things last year. The pandemic forced us to new territories, part ways with our comfort zones and usual routines. We had to adapt to things we don’t have control over. But the upcoming year allows us to take charge once again.
Part of this, however, is our openness to leave things behind–even things that we thought were the most important like your business model or platforms. We might return to normal health-wise but we have to embrace the fact that our priorities and values will be changed forever. So it’s okay to part ways with the things that wouldn’t help you in 2021.
3. Keep new normal practices
But if there’s one thing that we would have to keep, at least for 2021, it is the new normal practices. While the economy is slowly grinding, health and safety should still be our priority. For your activities, keep disinfecting and distancing practices. For your business, it wouldn’t hurt anyone to keep your digital platforms as your primary options for customer experience.
Non-essential businesses like vacation home rentals and resorts adapted to “travel bubbles” and agribusinesses integrated digital tools into their operations. Quick pivots such as these keep businesses open during crises.
4. Reinvest the holiday earnings
Pandemic or not, the Christmas season did not fail to bring in a surge in income. It’s easy to be enticed and treat yourself or your company after enduring everything 2020 has given us.
While that is also important, keep your eyes on unforeseen circumstances in the future. You may use part of the holiday income surge to invest back on things that could yield future returns. Pwedeng mag-”no” sa mga ibang bagay. Let’s save this additional income for the things that matter.
5. Mantra: cautiously optimistic
Lastly, the new year brings new hope. With all our experiences last year, we can hope for 2021 on the side of caution. We now realize the importance of calculated risks and backup plans. We can now factor in the new normal outlook in our strategies. This time, we’re back in charge.
After surviving for months, we can step in once again to the planning phase. We can look into opening a new venture or expanding the ones we have, albeit in a better perspective. What’s important is we know what we want at the very core, reset to that vision, and welcome 2021 cautiously optimistic.
We can help you start your 2021 plans right! Make #TheSmartMove and give us a call.
