The new year is a great time to reflect and make resolutions as a small business owner. The following tips can help you think about your business differently and identify areas of improvement for the year ahead.

• Keep it real. Don’t make your goal pie-in-the-sky difficult or too big. Instead, you can choose an area to focus on, whether it’s converting more sales leads or gaining expertise with new productivity software. But don’t be too easy on yourself, either. Simplistic goals may let you check a box on your list, but do they really help you grow your business?

• Stop doing something. While resolutions often read like lofty to-do lists, you might help your business more by identifying a few things not to do anymore. Examine your processes: Are you doing something because you need to or just because you always have? Look at your products and services: Are they all pulling their weight? Prune ruthlessly.

• Keep it clean. Germs and viruses can be hard on your employees and have a big impact on your business. During the new year, strive to have a clean and sanitary workplace. Try to keep an ample supply of things like hand sanitizer and cleaning supplies available and schedule a time for routine cleaning. When employees are healthy, your business should run well!

• Be specific. One reason resolutions fall by the wayside is that they can be too general. Instead of saying, “I want to improve my bottom line,” try to look at which products or services are most likely to get you there and zero in on those. Try to keep resolutions action-oriented, too. Rather than “I need to use social media more,” try “I will engage customers on Twitter by tweeting twice a day.”

• Build in benchmarks. Regularly checking your progress helps in a couple of ways. First, it keeps you engaged. It’s easy to be motivated in January, but by March, the new year is often forgotten. Having to measure up regularly can help you to keep your goals front and center. Plus, it can give you a chance to review results. If you’re already off track in April, you can change tactics. Are you back where you need to be by June? Great, try to stay the course! Consider marking concrete goals on a desk calendar or wall calendar.

• Pair up. Just like it helps to have an exercise partner or a study buddy, having someone on your side can help you stay motivated to try to keep your resolutions. It’s natural to look to your business partner if you have one. But you could look outside, too. Have you met someone in your network — someone you’re not competing against, of course — who might have similar goals? Or perhaps there is someone who shares your background or particular challenges. You can compare notes and encourage each other.

• Be flexible. As a small business owner, you’re constantly facing unexpected challenges. While there are benefits to having a consistent schedule, adapting and being flexible are important aspects of success. Giving employees flexibility can also build loyalty and trust, so try to stay flexible and take on any challenge your business may face!

• Delegate other tasks. You’re already busy, busy, busy. But if your resolution is worth making, it’s worth spending time on. So, consider delegating some of your work to other people. Yes, they can try to handle it: You hired them because they’re talented, right?

• Invest in yourself. You are your business’s best resource, so manage it carefully. If you typically work 24/7, consider scheduling “me time” each month, whether it’s a massage, a round of golf, or lunch with friends. Maybe you’d like to try to take a college course to beef up your business expertise or explore a hobby, or maybe you need to hire a babysitter so you and your loved one can enjoy a date night. The bottom line: If you are healthy, rested, and inspired, you’ll be in a good place to lead your business through any challenge 2022 can throw your way.

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.