If there’s one thing that we’ve all learnt from 2020, it’s that there will always be things that you’re unprepared for! However, we like to go into a New Year on a positive note, and the key way to remain positive is to prepare! Preparation for business gives you structure and capacity. It allows organisations to grow and individuals to thrive. The last year may have caused a shift in what you prioritise in your planning. So our tips when preparing for the New Year should help to refine that process.
Long range scheduling
Don’t fall into the trap of treating a schedule as an opportunity to cram as much as you can into your calendar. Comprehensive scheduling for the year ahead should include things like breaks, events, and projected busy periods of work. Balance these things out so that your calendar has a long range structure for the year ahead. This will prevent burn out and give you more control over the little things.
Planning your travel
With so much travel having been cancelled last year, some people have felt reluctant to recommence travel planning. However, neglecting to plan your travel will likely result in higher costs and more coming and going. If you have a couple of corporate stays in London, for example, it may make sense to stay in the city for a longer duration. It’ll cost less and you won’t be fatigued by coming and going. You can only identify these needs when you take the time to plan that travel in advance.
Prioritising your comfort
Comfort should be your priority wherever you are – in the office, travelling, working from home, or staying in a serviced apartment. Too often we put our own comfort on the back burner in the rush of daily life. However, the result of this habit is simply a less productive performance. So for the year ahead, prioritise the comfort of you and those around you in your business decisions. You, your colleagues, and the organisation as a whole will enjoy the benefits.
Looking back
It’s been quite a year to look back on, so take the time to assess how you and the business have dealt with everything that’s been thrown at you. What would you change? How will you use those experiences to alter your business decisions in the year ahead? If you got grounded in London, did you wish you were staying in a luxury serviced apartment so you could function more productively? Are you happy with opportunities that you took and support that you gave? Chat to colleagues to exchange feedback and you’ll all benefit.
Setting goals
However large or small, your targets and goals for the year ahead are a vital part of how that year will perform for you. Targets need not be simply focussed on organisation growth, or building the bottom line. Of course these are a great framework, but they are just numbers. So your real goals should be focussed on actions. Actions such as empowering a workforce to perform creatively and how they can be supported and encouraged to do so. Look at support and perks that the business offers and how these can be improved for the year ahead.
Clearing up
Order is the foundation of focus, so to take on the new year with renewed vigour, clear up. This could mean an inbox overhaul, or a to-do-list blitz of all the annoying little tasks you’ve been avoiding. It’s the same principle as why a maid service is so valued at a serviced apartment: a clean environment gives you the mental clarity to perform well. So time spent on these things is integral to cleaning that slate ready for next year.
We hope that your year ahead is full of success and growth. And we look forward to being the perfect corporate stay environment to make all your goals achievable.
