Last updated on December 13th, 2022 at 06:25 pm

Why even bother to make New Year’s resolutions for business? We often see resolutions as a good thing and a joke, with good reasons. A study by Richard Wiseman from the University of Bristol surveyed 3,000 people and showed that 88% of those who set New Year resolutions fail. Moreover, 52% of the study’s participants were confident of success at the beginning.

But what about New Year’s resolutions for business? Businesses often involve more than one person, so it’s hard to see them doing better with their resolutions.

However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that New Year’s resolutions for business are total without merit. The main problem isn’t resolutions themselves but how we approach them. Many New Year’s resolutions we make for ourselves and our businesses often turn out to be not much more than wishful thinking. Companies must come to New Year’s resolutions with realistic goal-setting. With this in mind, we can tackle solutions scientifically, like any other behavior-modification project.

What makes a good New Year’s Resolution?

In an article titled Why New Year’s Resolutions Fail, Ray Williams of Psychology Today outlined guidelines for the best New Year’s resolutions.

• Focus on one resolution.

• Set realistic, specific goals. Losing weight is not a particular goal. Losing 10 pounds in 90 days would be.

• Don’t wait till New Year’s eve to make resolutions. Make it a year-long process every day.

• Take small steps.

• Have an accountability buddy.

• Celebrate your success between milestones.

• Focus your thinking on new behaviors and thought patterns. You have to create new neural pathways in your brain to change habits.

• Focus on the present. What’s the one thing you can do right now toward your goal?

• Be mindful.

Now that you know how to maximize your chances for success, what would be good New Year’s resolutions for your business? Here are a few suggestions.

1. Give something back to the community.

Donate cash or other resources to a charity or school that serves your community. Donations could be given monthly or quarterly. Cash and other physical assets are great, but check if you can bring something else to the table. Toyota, for instance, famously donated its expertise in creating efficient systems instead of cash to an NYC soup kitchen in 2013, creating a substantial positive change that would not have been possible had it opted for money alone.

2. Read one book each month.

To be honest, one is a woefully low number. According to a Huffington Post article titled “The Reading Habits of Ultra-Successful People” by productivity writer Andrew Merle, one thing all successful people have in common is that they love to read. But you have to start somewhere. One a month is more than most people (and probably you) read anyway. Start up the number of books after a few months if you can. Audiobooks are another option you should consider, and they can be a godsend for those of us with long commutes.

Here are a few reading lists to get you started:

• Forbes –12 Books Every Business Person Must Read

• UCreative – 20 Thought-Provoking Books Every Entrepreneur Should Read

• NY Daily News – 9 Inspirational Books Top CEOs Want You to Read

3. Get rid of excess baggage.

 Tony Webster Sacramento Airport Baggage Claim via photopin (license)

This could mean any number of things. It may mean getting rid of workspace clutter. It could even mean getting rid of clients who give you more grief than they’re worth. Identify the issues you find have been giving you more trouble than they’ve been worth, and create a timeline for washing them out of your hair for good. This will clear up more time for the things that truly matter.

4. Learn a new language.

Learning a new language can be challenging. But it’s one of the most worthwhile things you can do. Learning a new language opens doors you may not even know existed and helps you find patterns and relationships in other areas of life. It will also be helpful if you do business in a non-English-speaking market. Learning other languages can provide the means to communicate effectively in specific markets. It can provide plenty of insights you won’t get by any other means.

Nothing yet available will beat having a competent tutor and language immersion to help you become fluent. However, dozens of free apps now make decent course materials and exercise easy to access. Many of them also make it possible to track your progress, which is essential for any New Year’s resolution.

Check out: Lignualift – Best Language Learning Apps

5. Show gratitude.

It’s hard to put a metric to this New Year’s resolution, but it’s worth doing. Practicing gratitude not only helps improve your physical health, but it can improve your mental strength as well. When interacting with your customers or team members, developing an appreciation for your New Year’s resolution priorities should be high. You can use an app like SharePoint calendar to schedule team meetings and brainstorm how to improve your year.

Avoid sending out generic e-mails cc’d to everyone. Instead, send out personalized thank you cards and postcards to everyone who has helped your business. Give a token of appreciation to employees and preferred suppliers who have made it possible for your business to survive and thrive in the past year. Better yet, allocate time for a short meeting with every single employee you have, or at least every team, and tell them exactly why you’re grateful to them in person.

My resolution this year is to listen to two audiobooks a month. What are yours?

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