Do a personal end-of-year review

Earlier this week, Old Taskmaster recommended creating a big picture plan for the business year ahead. It’s a great time to do it. After all, it’s not like the world will end before the end of the week.

Sorry survivalists, sorry Mayan calendar prophets of doom, it’s just not going to happen!

So by now, I expect you will have done an end-of-year review for your business, with at least a rough draft of a big picture plan for your business in 2013.

However, all this business planning leaves one of the things that entrepreneurs and soloists are notorious for: Devoting every waking moment to their businesses at the expense of every other aspect of their lives.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of conflating what you do as an entrepreneur or your business with you as a person; to start every introduction with, “Hi, I’m Jane Doe, the founder of…” or to steer every conversation towards your business.

But not having adequate space between you as an entrepreneur and you as a human being can really take its toll, especially when things don’t go to plan with your business. Let’s face it; while our economy is a long way off the ground, we’re still bumping into mid-air turbulence from overseas.

So in the Christmas/New Year’s Day period, it’s worth taking some time out to think about how you’re travelling outside your business life. That’s right: You’re going to do a personal end-of-year review.

That means thinking about how you’re travelling in terms of your family, friends, outside interests, general wellbeing and happiness. How are you travelling in each of these areas?

What lessons have you learnt from the past year, both good and bad? What meaning can you find in some of the bad things that have happened this past year? What lessons can you draw for the year ahead?

Then it’s time to do some of your own personal planning for the year ahead. How can you apply the lessons of the past year? How can you rectify any personal wellbeing issues? What personal goals do you want to achieve over the next 12 months?

Don’t just focus on your business. Take some time out to focus on yourself too.

Get it done – before the world ends!