self-improvementMake Better Resolutions
Americans’ No. 1 New Year’s resolution — “I’m going to lose weight.” — illustrates nicely what’s wrong with most people’s vows to improve some aspect of their lives at the start of a new year: It’s too vague and too all-encompassing. According to lifehacker.com, a better resolution would be “I’m going to lose 5 pounds by going to the gym three times a week.” So if your resolution for 2025 is to be a “better boss,” you’ve got work to do.
SELF MANAGEMENTCome to Terms With 2024
Regret is a common emotion around year-end. Karen Ogden, a partner at Envest Asset Management in Dorset, VT, says it’s crucial not to dwell on feelings that arise from decisions you wish you hadn’t made but now can’t reverse. “It’s easy to ‘Monday morning quarterback’ and say, ‘I shouldn’t have done that,’” she told Bloomberg News. “But it’s wasted time.” Instead, she recommends trying to find lessons learned from any mistakes, as well as taking solace in at least some of the positive developments that occurred last year. For instance, in her field, higher interest rates mean your savings will likely have gone up at least a little. And many 401(k)s performed well, she says.
MANAGEMENTGive Staff Access
Ensure your team has access to vendor logins for streamlined operations, says retail consultant Megan Crabtree: “This enables easy retrieval of images, pricing, and marketing materials, especially when vendors are closed on weekends,” she says. Providing access to these things at the click of a button can also empower associates to better assist customers in a timely manner, she adds.
WELL-BEINGSlow Meals = Good Life
From Daniel Gilbert of Harvard to Martin Seligman of Princeton, wellbeing researchers seem to agree on one thing: Mealtime with friends and loved ones is a direct predictor of well-being. In 2025, aim to have at least one 2-to-3-hour dinner and/or drinks per week —yes, 2–3 hours — with those who make you smile and feel good. Thursday dinners and long Sunday brunches are particularly conducive to this.
TRAVELHover Near the Business Check-In Queue
Flying to Orlando for VEE? Here’s a neat tip from the Skyscanner booking site’s blog: Choose the check-in queue next to business class. “After business travelers are checked-in, flight staff will often help their neighboring colleagues on the economy class desks. If you’re in the line right, you might get lucky with an unexpected queue-jump,” its editors write.
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SELLINGChange Your Shoes
Do you unconsciously assume that your customer has your financial limitations? Do you secretly believe that they should do what you would do? If so, these are likely the reasons you struggle as a salesperson, writes advertising maven Roy H. Williams in his The Monday Morning Memo newsletter. “You believe you are being empathetic, but you are not. You aren’t putting yourself in their shoes; you’re putting them in yours,” and that limits what you can achieve on the optical floor.
ROUTINESDear Diary, Today I …
What’s the best way to use the last 10 minutes of your day? Rather than reading another email, use this time to reflect on your workday: what invigorated you, what frustrated you, and what do you plan to do next? Then jot down 100 words about it. This can serve as motivation as you keep a record of your “small wins,” help you keep your eye on the bigger picture when faced with day-to-day frustrations, or be a useful tool for drafting your next steps, says Harvard Business Review’s Guide To Getting The Right Work Done.
SELF-IMPROVEMENTBrush Up on Your Willpower
Few factors are as important for success as willpower. But in recent years, psychologists have shown we have a limited amount of the stuff, and it is drained quickly in situations where we need to make a lot of decisions, such as being a small biz owner. The good news is we can train willpower. Like a muscle, it gets stronger with use, say neuroscientists Sandra Aamodt and Sam Wang in Welcome To Your Child’s Brain. Even something as simple as using your non-dominant hand to brush your teeth for two weeks can raise willpower capacity, they say. Conquer that and you may be ready to stick to an exercise routine or that stricter money-management plan.
