New year, new you!

Well, 2022 is here and it’s time to decide which resolutions that we made Jan. 1 we are going to break by Feb 15! For sure, gym memberships will skyrocket for the first two months and treadmill sales will be through the roof.

Resolutions are easy to make and easier to break. The list is long:

• Quit smoking
• Exercise more/lose weight
• Spend more wisely
• Donate more time/money to charity
• Read more/watch less TV
• Spend more time outside
• Less time on social media

Take your pick.

If you’re one of the rare few who manage to make and keep your resolutions for the full year, well, you’re a better person than most. They say it takes an average of 66 days to form a habit, and an average of 66 seconds to break it.

Now that I’ve made you feel bad about being a quitter, you’re probably wondering what this has to do with your rental business.

The answer is really a question. Think about what you are resolved to do in 2022 that is going to make your business

• More profitable
• More resilient (as we’re seeing now, COVID isn’t going away)
• More attractive to potential employees
• More attractive to potential customers (hint: social media)
• Stand out more in a very competitive market
• ABLE TO RAISE YOUR RATES

Most of these aren’t new ideas and they’re really things you should be working on constantly. But as we roll into our busy seasons in spring and summer it’s easy to let things lapse.

So the solution should be to start now. Set a date that’s within your slow season schedule to accomplish something on your list. Not five things, not 10 things…one thing that you know will improve your business in 2022. Then get it done!

How about a new website? A new Facebook/Instagram account with consistent material posted? You could refresh your showroom. Or improve your company benefits plan to make the business more attractive to potential employees.

A lot of these aren’t expensive, but they will take time. So get started today, and once you’ve knocked it off move on to the next task.

You’ll be amazed what you can accomplish if you focus on finishing what’s in front of you instead of starting 10 things and leaving them all half done.

2022 is here, whether we’re ready for it or not, so let’s not waste the opportunity to improve ourselves and our business!  

Adam Snook owns JustBins, a Regina-based provider of waste disposal solutions.