By: Kelly Spors

Celebration is in the air, so don't waste even a moment.

The beginning of a new year is the perfect time to rethink your priorities, make plans to enhance both your business and personal lives and stick to those goals and resolutions! We've gathered these seven New Year’s resolutions and small business tips owners should consider:

1. Resolve to do something you truly love.  It seems that we spend at least half of our waking hours working — and some business owners surely spend more. That’s way too much time if you don't enjoy what you're doing or find it meaningful.  Spend some time thinking about what type of work satisfies you the most and make concrete plans for how you’ll achieve that goal in the new year and beyond. 

2. Stop sacrificing your personal time. Small business owners need to create a better work-life balance, especially since an imbalance can lead to a host of problems, including stress and health-related issues. Make a promise to yourself to get enough rest and exercise. Engage in the stress-reducing activities that work best for you. 

3.  Improve your time-management skills. This could probably be on everybody’s to-do list every year. The truth is, how efficiently and effectively you spend your working hours directly affects how much time you have to spend with the people you love or doing the things you love that are unrelated to work. We’ve all learned a lot about how to be more productive at work. from using to-do lists and calendar reminders to appointment apps and maximizing our morning routines. Now, it's time to put these practices into place in our off hours. Here’s a list of 15 time-management apps and tools, courtesy of Lifehack. 

4. Appreciate more. Business people need to have a positive outlook on life if they are going to succeed. Make a promise to yourself that you'll spend at least some time each day contemplating what's going well and what you're grateful for. Try to spread that message by making sure you thank others every day. Some business owners do this every morning to start the day off on the right foot. If you're really busy, be sure to take time to recognize special achievements by the staff and thank customers and suppliers/vendors for their part in making your business a success. 

5. Get organized. Removing as much clutter as you can from your life helps give you clarity. As the new year starts — or the old one ends— use this time to focus on organizing your business. That may mean cleaning out your email inbox or organizing paperwork and buying new file cabinets. Or, it may mean changing or enhancing a process to improve upon business operations based on the prior year's experience 

6. Make more, stronger connections. Networking and making new connections is a vital part of most business owners' lives. But it can take a backseat when life gets busy. Think about how you can network more frequently and more effectively. If feasible, commit to attending three conferences over the course of the year or grabbing coffee with one person every week. Email can be your friend when it comes to networking. Keep in touch with valuable connections on an ongoing basis. Create a reminder on your electronic or desk calendar to reconnect with people you haven't spoken to in a while. 

7. Stay committed to your health and well being. Your physical health is perhaps the most valuable thing you have as a business owner. Ignoring it can lead to costly health problems. Make time for a regular fitness routine that fits into your schedule, yet doesn't detract from it. With all the options available today, it should be an easy win. Consider buying one or more wearable technology items, such as a fitness band, heart rate monitor, pedometer or smart watch. Often, having these items can motivate you to exercise regularly and more often. Write out weekly meal plans to ensure you’re eating right.

Whatever your goals, make them early and do your very best to stick to them. You owe it to your business, and certainly to yourself!

About the Author

Kelly Spors is a freelance writer and editor based in Minneapolis. She previously worked as a staff reporter for The Wall Street Journal, covering small business and entrepreneurship.

All content provided herein is for educational purposes only. It is provided “as is,” and neither the author nor Office Depot warrants the accuracy of the information provided, nor do they assume any responsibility for errors, omissions, or contrary interpretation of the subject matter herein.