How to Reflect on 2020 in Your Business
Seriously, ask anyone. 2020 was a hot mess— and a solid reminder— that things can change in business & life at the drop of a hat. Reflecting back on this year may look different than we’re used to but we can bring the lessons we learned in 2020 into the year to come.
Read on to find out how I’m reflecting on my business over the span of a year so you can think about what works, what didn’t, and which lessons you can proudly carry into 2021. These essential prompts will help you head into the new year with confidence!
1. Reflect over your major events.
In my business, I do both a quarterly and annual review, for which I’ll set aside anywhere from half a day to a full day to reflect. I kick off the process by getting out my calendar and planner and looking over the big, high-level things and developing a general list of what happened in business that year.
Consider the new clients you worked with, your timelines, any major events that happened, and any investments you made in your business, along with the finances. Where did you invest heavily in your business? Where did you make the most money this year?
2. Gain insight on where you found your clients.
After you’ve made your list of new clients from 2020, think about where you found those clients. Are you attracting clients on social media? Bringing them in through Facebook or Google Ads? This gets you thinking about how you’re marketing your business. You’ll want to consider what’s been the most successful.
Are you finding those clients through word of mouth? Are you finding them through social media through referrals or meeting people at events? What are the things that are bringing your business, the most income? How can you focus on those even more in the year to come?
3. Journal it out.
Once you’ve looked at the facts and figures around your business, absorb that info and journal out the highs, the lows, and the feelings behind it all. What do you feel about your business? What happened or didn’t happen as planned? Don’t be afraid to look at the great and not-so-great. This is your opportunity to think about what you want to keep doing in your business and what you don’t.
Even if something was successful in your business this year, do you truly want to keep doing that? You could keep it as is, refine it, ditch it, or outsource it. Either way, take a close look at how you spent your time this year and how you may want to change that going into 2021.
When you think about where you spent your time and energy this year, you can take an honest look at what you want your business to be in the future.
4. Take action.
Once you’ve reviewed your year, move into taking action by planning for quarter 1. Goal setting will help you find out what you truly want to do next year and make it happen.
Start by listing out what you want to do in the first three months of the year, but don’t overwhelm yourself. Keep your priorities in order by circling only a few items to get to in Q1. If there’s something you really want to do but you just don’t have time for it, you could always leave it for later in the year.
