If you’ve been gathering information for tax season (which you better be!), you’ve been face to face with your business lately. You’ve been writing your business name everywhere, looking at your income and analyzing your year. If you’re like me, sometimes you get so wrapped up in the day-to-day you forget to actually applaud yourself and your team for the work you are doing and the people you are serving. And most importantly, the work you CAN be doing.

You’re a business owner and that’s something to embrace! Are you getting out of it every so often so you can work on the future? This is what I hear from colleagues and I’m sure, I’ve expressed these same sentiments myself.

• I’m way too busy with client work to do anything else.
  
• I need to deal with staffing concerns and I have new technology to learn.
  
• I set goals, but those can wait. I need to focus on invoicing this month.

• Look at current clients, can you upsell to them?
• Can you enter a new niche market?
• Do you have a new product line idea you want to sell?
• Is your revenue where you want it?

I’m not just telling you to do this. I’m committed in 2016 to do more of this myself. In fact, I’m stepping away from my business and taking a break for (gasp) 3 days this month to attend a branding conference in Houston, Texas. It’s called Be the Brand Live (Feb. 25-27) and I’m speaking on “The Three Financial Things You Need to Know About Your Business.”

Do you have a personal development action plan already scheduled in your next 6 months? You need to. The days away from the detail and nitty gritty of the daily grind of the business can be the stepping stone to major creativity, to exponential ideas for how to grow your business!!!  Whether it’s a local event or somewhere you have to travel, commit to it. The experts at these events can help you think about strategy, legal, branding, finance and so much more. It’s a day of learning and you will leave with ideas.

There are other simple (and quick) ways to take a break from your business, like reviewing the below over lunch or in between meetings:

Look at your staffing…

• Can you promote anyone?
  
• Can you delegate more of your time-consuming tasks?
  
• Do you have new entry level positions you need to fill?

Look at your branding…

• Are you consistent in your messaging?
  
• Are you actually living and breathing your brand?
  
• Are you standing out amongst competitors on social media? Using it at all?
  
• Are you getting ROI on your ads and campaigns?

Review these questions and then create steps to start moving towards the results you want.

Get out of that daily grind and take the time to invest in your business!