Ah, New Year’s resolutions. We’ve taken stock over the festive period and determined our priorities for the coming 12 months and (perhaps) beyond.
After a busy Christmas period, (many thanks to all those who came to visit) I’ve been mulling over the changes that I’d like to make in my life.
It’s always very satisfying to be able to achieve a couple of ‘quick wins’, so I’ve compiled my New Year’s resolutions while taking a short holiday. I can tick off resolution number 1, unfortunately the others will take a little more effort!
MY NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS
Number 1
Take a break. As any small business owner will tell you, one of your most important assets is your staff. My full time staff consists of just me, so I need to take care of myself and plan for the future. Anyway, mission accomplished (for now) which leads me on to the next of my New Year’s resolutions.
Number 2
Employ more help. Many hands make light work. A special someone to help me during the week would make a real difference to my life. A full English breakfast won’t cook itself and beds constantly need to be stripped and remade. If you know someone local who is looking for some part time work, please get in touch!
New Year’s resolution number 3
Waste less, recycle more. I’m going to make a real effort to cut down on food waste. Most of us throw away food every week and while Somerset Council does provide an excellent food recycling service, I need to be a little more prudent. (Fear not – my cooked breakfasts won’t be getting smaller.) I also need to employ the ‘waste less’ mantra to drink and energy (gas and electric rather than my own).
Number 4
Embrace social media a little more. In this day and age Facebook and Twitter can be incredibly important marketing tools for a business. I need to get in the habit of posting news items more frequently. (Perhaps by achieving the second of my New Year’s resolutions I’ll have a little more spare time.) In the meantime, thanks to everyone who already follows me on social media.
Number 5
Make The Cross famous (for all the right reasons). Establishing a new, small business is hard work. All the positive feedback that I have received so far has made the journey very worthwhile. After achieving a podium finish at last year’s Mendip Business Awards, I’m determined to enter others.
The Somerset bed and breakfast community is a close knit one and most of us are more than happy to recommend other establishments when ours are full. This unity will be especially important in the coming months as we battle against the might of the Premier Inn which is endeavouring to build an hotel on the outskirts of Wells. Long live the independent accommodation providers! (Sorry, I’ll step off my soapbox now to give you the last of my New Year’s resolutions…)
Learn to say, ‘No’ a little more. This applies to both my business and personal life (no jokes please!) It can be all too easy to be pulled in different directions and sometimes this can have a detrimental effect on my life and on my business. As you get older you realise where your main priorities lie. It’s up to me to move the things that really matter to the top of my To Do List. Sticking to the first of my New Year’s resolutions has definitely helped me to determine where I will be concentrating my efforts this year.
So that’s it. No fad diets, mad exercise regimes or alcohol free months for me. If you’ve made some New Year’s resolutions the best of luck with them. (And if you’ve already broken them, don’t despair, just make a couple of easier ones…) Enjoy 2016.