For those of us who budget and operate our home businesses on a calendar year, we are entering into the final quarter of the year. As Fall comes on for the rest of the world, the months of October, November and December signify the ending three months of yet another business year. There is still plenty to do, of course, and this is a good time to take stock, check your budget and yearly plan, and see what you can accomplish before the year closes.
For some small businesses, we are coming up on the busiest time of the year. If you do the bulk of your business during the holiday season then you are likely getting geared up for the upcoming onslaught of business. For those of us who have more regular work, however, this can be the time of year when we start to let things slip and before we know it, it is December 31st and time to start thinking about taxes and another year.
Look over your annual plan and budget to see where you are. It is also not too early to start making plans for next year. You can look back and see what went well and what didn’t and start carving out some ideas for 2008 so you can hit the ground running (or at least have a smooth transition) in January.
It is also not too late to make changes. If something just isn’t working for you, there is no rule that says you have to hang on to it until the year turns over. You might still be able to scrap something that isn’t working and salvage struggling parts of your business in the final quarter. If you are planning to take some time off during the holiday weeks, now is also a good time to make those plans and adjust your business so you will be able to that without much fuss.
Also: How’s Your Energy Level?
Listening to Your Inner Voice and Trusting Your Instincts