5 Ways to Start the Year Off Right It's a time of new beginnings for not only your business, but you, too.

Whether you own a business here in Europe or are working your way up within one, the New Year is a great time to reassess your priorities, harness inspiration, and make a plan for the future. Where your business is at this time next year depends on all the work you do in the next 12 months — so make it count.

Here are five tips and reminders for starting this January off right.

1. Read and learn every day.

It's important to stay on top of the news. If your country implements new Covid-19 restrictions, for instance, those policies could impact your business and it's best to know about them before they do.

Consider the impact of coronavirus restrictions and concerns on holiday shopping last month. Retailers had to brace for a lack of in-person shopping while beefing up their online offerings. Keeping abreast of the latest statistics, data, and headlines is key.

Check reputable outlets each day to see what you need to know about the ever-changing market.

2. Write down your goals and keep them reasonable.

Writing down your goals and keeping them in a place you can see them — whether on your phone's note-taking app or hung up in your workspace — can help you find inspiration and stay on-track. If your goal is to grow your customer base by 50 percent over the next 12 months, being reminded of it every day can keep you focused.

Remember: It's important to make sure your goals are reasonable. Challenge yourself and your business, yes, but don't set goals that are so difficult to reach that they'll discourage you as you go along. Advancement takes time and pacing yourself will keep you motivated.

3. Identify your mission and purpose.

When you launched your company or started your career, you had ambition, inspiration, and passion. Has your mission evolved or changed since then? Has it stayed the same? Did you lose sight of it?

The New Year is a fantastic time to reevaluate what you want to do, broadly. You may have outgrown your previous mission or strayed from it, but this is the ideal moment to take some time to identify what it is now.

Brainstorm with colleagues or employees and figure out what you all believe is the purpose of your company. Whether it's public service or money-making, your primary passion should be hammered out.

4. Make culture-building a priority.

Speaking of your colleagues or employees, how are they doing? In 2022, work to a foster a company culture that is open, honest, and productive. That happens with communication and like-minded goal-setting.

If you're in a hiring position, be sure that you only bring on people who can positively impact the trajectory and success of the company. This is a time to assess what is working and what isn't working within your business and repeating past mistakes is an easy way to waste time and miss benchmarks.

Host and attend meetings, over-communicate when necessary, and check in with others in the company periodically to make sure everyone is inspired, happy, and focused, but productive and on the same page, too. Success is a team effort.

5. Stay dedicated.

Early January is always a time of big promises and optimism, but you need to stick with this feeling year-round. Come May, you might not be on the same productivity kick your new year's resolutions have currently inspired — unless you force yourself to stay motivated and dedicated.

While goal-setting and culture-building are more like team sports, this tip is just for you. Whatever it takes to stay focused and energized, do it. Don't forget the value of some time off to clear your head, hobbies outside work, and celebrating your company's wins as they happen.

Stay positive and keep your head in the game so you can meet every challenge that comes your way throughout the year and set even bigger goals in 2023.