No one needs 11 (more) things to do at the end of the year.
So hopefully, most of the following items will be things you’re already doing.
Personally, I like having a list so that I can check my plan against what others recommend. I also appreciate having a roadmap to follow when decision fatigue sets in and I need help staying focused.
I hope this list inspires you to use the incredible power of endings and beginnings to set your intentions for 2024 and recommit yourself to your goals.
Let’s get set for a prosperous and successful new year!
1. Contact your CPA.
- Verify your Q4 estimated tax payment.
- Get ready to issue 1099s.
- Talk about what happened in 2023 and what your plans are for 2024.
2. Reconcile your books.
- Make sure your bank account transactions match what’s in QuickBooks.
- Don’t forget about credit card statements and mobile payment apps.
- Send your P&L and balance sheet to your CPA and make any adjustments they recommend.
3. Build your financial projections for 2024.
- What changes do you foresee in revenue and/or expenses?
- Where do you need to spend money to make money?
- How much can you put into a reserve next year?
- Make sure you’re getting paid first, fairly and consistently.
4. Say thank you to
- Clients.
- Employees.
- Vendors and service providers.
- Anyone who has been supportive and helped your business grow this year.
5. Clean off your desk (and desktop.) Get your paper and digital house in order to make space for new ideas.
- Close some tabs!!!!!!
- Consolidate to-do lists and notes.
- Unsubscribe from email lists.
- Throw out the piece of paper you moved around your desk for the last 6 months - whatever the article or note says isn’t that important.
- Put random documents in folders.
6. Take a break.
- Put an out-of-office message on and check out.
- Rest and recharge your body and mind.
7. Schedule a meeting with your financial advisor and estate planning attorney for January to review your
- Investments.
- Life insurance
- Wills and trust documents.
- Beneficiaries.
8. Celebrate your wins. Go through your calendar and remind yourself of all you and your team have accomplished this year - big and small.
- Write them down.
- Share as a team.
- Pat yourself on the back.
9. Let the mistakes go. There will always be things that didn't go as planned. And decisions you wish you could re-do.
- Take the lessons.
- Leave the doubt and second guessing behind.
- What you do with the cannoli is up to you!
10. Help others.
- Mentor a member of your organization or a rising leader in your industry.
- Offer support to a peer.
- Volunteer for your favorite cause.
- Be generous with your time, talent and treasure to attract and pay forward abundance.
11. Receive help. Give yourself the gift of filling your own cup.
- Engage a coach.
- Hire a VA.
- Make a plan to delegate and outsource more in the new year.
- Consider whether using a cleaning, meal delivery, pet sitting or other service can help lighten your load at home.
Purpose First Advisors specializes in helping business owners like you go into the new year ready to grow smarter, faster and with more confidence. Let us help you build and grow on purpose.
