Time flies when you’re busy setting all your goals for the year and before you know it, January is almost over. With only four days left until February, it’s a good time to reflect on whether all the challenges you have set out for yourself at the beginning of the year, have shown any fruition.

We often overload ourselves with to-do lists and new challenges at the beginning of a new year, wanting to reap in the benefits of a fresh slate and take advantage of the pristine pages of our new diaries and agendas, eager to fill them with proud accomplishments. As is always the case, however, new habits are best formed and established over time – trying to do everything all at once, tends to set us up for failure.

If you are currently overcome with January frustrations and are, perhaps, disappointed with yourself for not having stuck to all goals you had set out for yourself for this month, no need to fret, dear pet. We have developed the ultimate guide to establishing healthier (business) habits, a step-by-step plan that will facilitate your journey from stressed out she-boss, to calm and collected powerhouse.

Start with Yourself

Before you can truly focus on your business and checking off all your goals, you need to make sure that the vehicle to get you there is fully functioning, fueled and healthy: your mind, body and soul. As an entrepreneur, your work relies solely on you and your staff and if you’re not up for the basic tasks of organization, communication and delegation, your business will begin to suffer.

Therefore, prior to setting any major goals for the coming months or year, you must make sure that you’re doing everything you can do to keep yourself healthy, energized and focused by establishing a daily self-care routine – no matter how crazy things get at the (home) office. Self-care is one of the main things we let fall to the wayside as soon as things get hectic, and that’s exactly what causes our vehicles – mind and body – to capsize.

Two simple yet oh-so-beneficial rituals you can easily incorporate into your day, are strict morning and evening routines that will set you up for the day and wind you down for the night. Do what’s right for you: start your mornings with a vigorous work-out routine or thirty minutes in silent meditation and end your day with a bubble bath or an hour of reading before bed. It’s up to you to set yourself up for greatness!

Divide the Work

Most entrepreneurs have a hard time sharing their responsibilities – even when they are supported by a talented, capable team who is more than willing to pick up the slack when things get overwhelming. As much as you might want to divide up the work instead of dealing with a daily avalanche of meetings, e-mails and deadlines, you simply can’t let go because you’re afraid of losing control.

Not divvying up the workload is a sure path to a burnout, so take a deep breath, trust your team and share the responsibilities. Trust, that your way isn’t always better and that, a staff member using a different program than you to design flyers or press releases, won’t signify the end of the world. By dividing up the work and giving everyone their own responsibilities, you are also showing your team that you believe in them and trust them to deliver.

Invest in Sustainable Wholesalers

As fashion entrepreneurs, we’re always on the look-out for wholesalers who stock all the bits and pieces we need to create beautiful garments and/or accessories, and this can take up a huge chunk of our time. It’s hard to find wholesalers who offer a range of top-quality products, especially if we are looking to buy locally and invest in sustainable, eco-conscious businesses. This is time well spent, however, as these products will contribute to your credibility as a fashion business and a healthier planet.

Make it a priority to filter out the best wholesalers for buttons, zippers, leather, sequins, fabrics, yarn, etc. in your local area, and put them to the test. Don’t rush your decision: take detailed notes about the product quality, the turn-around time and distribution service, the companies’ ethos and production methods and divide these into pro and con columns. Base your decision on the results of this thorough study.

Building long-term relationships with wholesalers will facilitate your life as a fashion entrepreneur and, should you opt for a company within your township, will contribute to your local economy. You may not find one wholesaler for all your needs, but that’s OK – you might end up with up to five different wholesalers. As long as their philosophy fits with yours, they’re in your local vicinity and offer excellent services, that’s great – and it’ll make life and designing much easier on you in the long run.

Maintain Your Records

There’s one thing creatives hate more than anything else: paperwork and financial records. Unless you’re the queen of organization and numbers, filing records and invoices, doing your taxes and keeping track of client communications, can quickly become the biggest source of dread. If the prospect of filing your taxes or going through your paperwork makes you work up a sweat, it’s time to take the “no pain, no gain” approach and start taking the steps towards crowning yourself queen of office management. Letting everything pile up until the very last minute, will only fuel your bureaucratic nightmare.

Build record keeping into your daily office tasks. Whenever an invoice goes in or out, file it immediately instead of keeping it marked as unread for later access. Keep a detailed file on each and every client and add on to any notes or concerns, whenever necessary. Make sure you have easy access to each client file, so you can pull it up at a moment’s notice when necessary. Invest in accounting software such as QuickBooks Online, which allows you keep daily records in a cloud.