Back in December 2025, I did a fair bit of business planning because I facilitated business review and planning co-working calls for three separate masterminds. That gave me plenty of time to work on my own business, and then even more time as we tackled it inside the mastermind I joined too.

And even with all that time, my plan still feels a little hazy.

So I’ve been taking all the ideas and thoughts I captured in those sessions and working them into something that reflects my actual capacity and my overall goals for the year. It’s still a work in progress, and I’m very aware that plans change, but I like to start the year with my main priorities decided and key dates in the diary.

Once I’m back in delivery mode, the free time to ponder the plan becomes scarce.

Having dates in the diary for the whole year is key for me. That’s how my plan stays alive in the day to day, rather than living inside a spreadsheet or document that I forget to look at.

Planning holidays before anything else

This is also the time of year when I like to block off holidays. That usually includes a summer holiday, this year we’re planning a mountain biking trip in Andorra, a break around Easter while the boys are off school, an early June girls trip with one of my best friends and her daughter that we’ve done for the past few years, trips to see family in the UK and my dad in Germany, and the Christmas break.

With a full year of group program calls and client sessions, I know that if I don’t plan these ahead of time, I’ll struggle to take the time off.

I also go through my kids’ school calendar and my husband’s work calendar and, where I can, I take off national or regional holidays too. I never used to do this and would then kick myself when both my boys and my husband had the day off and I was working because I hadn’t planned ahead.

Planning rest and downtime first, rather than as an afterthought, is central to how I approach building a sustainable business.

Mapping January content and operations

January is always a big month for me. I usually have a flurry of last-minute applications for my programs, alongside kicking those programs off, which means a lot of onboarding and call preparation. It’s also typically a time when I receive more applications for 1:1 work, which all need processing.

If I’m not careful, it’s easy to let my marketing slip during this period.

I plan out my January content and my business operations in advance, so that I’m not scrambling to get things done and I have a calm, grounded, step-by-step plan in place.

Cleaning and organising my office

I’m very aware of how lucky I am to have my own office for my work, and it’s a space I genuinely love. That said, I’m not going to lie, it can get messy and cluttered.

One of my favourite things to do at the start of the year, before work properly begins again, is a big tidy and clean.

It might sound silly, but physical order really helps me think straight. When my desk or working space is cluttered, it affects me more than I’d like to admit. Starting the year without the visual noise that’s built up over time feels essential for me.

Attempting inbox zero

My inbox is quite possibly my greatest business challenge.

It’s one of those things I don’t hear people talk about very often, but keeping on top of mine when I’m busy with calls can feel almost impossible. If you’ve ever sent me a message and not received a reply, that’s usually why.

In the quieter window before I’m fully back at work, I chip away at it daily, trying to get to a place where at least the most important messages are dealt with.

I don’t know if this sounds like a lot to be doing during the “holidays”, but for me it’s just a bit here and there. Small, intentional pockets of time so that I can start the year feeling calm and grounded rather than already behind.