January. Good old January. To most, dreadful January. But from a business point of view, it can be Useful January. January is most commonly a quiet period, the calm after the storm of Christmas. It's also a retailer's nightmare after everyone is spent up and doesn't get paid again until the end of it. But don't fear, we have some tips on how you can use January to its full efficiency and make the most of it.

Accounts

Yes...accounts, we've all go to do them. Plus if you still haven't done your tax return, now is your chance. Getting all your finances in order makes for a clean running business and sets us off nicely for the rest of the year. Maybe you need to invest in a new accounts book, or start a new receipt filing system, this can help you out for the rest of the year. January is great for getting these money things in order and all worked out.

De-Clutter

Hands up if your workspace has been a mess since the start of December! Tidying is something that easily slips away in a busy period, but now that it's quieter and fewer orders are coming in, you can finally get round to it. Also take the time to throw out anything you didn't use this last year, sell on any materials you no longer need and pass onto a friend who might make better use of them. Bonus, you might come across something you completely forgot about and re-inspires you to do something with it!

Designing

If you're a product business, now is the perfect time to crack on with your next season of products. Start putting pen to paper with all your ideas, notes, drawings and diagrams for what you'd like to do this year. You've got this spare time to get exactly what you want (and customers want!) in your new line.

Business Planning

What's your 2017 goals for your business? Open a shop? Gain more followers on social media? Up your order quantities? Figure it all out now! And then break each goal down into how you plan to do it, following the how, what, when, where, who, why, etc. to make sure each plan is realistic and reachable (although don't be afraid to dream big!). Think of them as new year resolutions but for your business and stick at them all year-long. You could even put some plans together about how you'll tackle 2017's Christmas.

Re-Order

Now is a perfect time to re-order anything you'll need for the upcoming months, any materials, equipment, things like this because if you don't have what you need, you can't make your new product line. You never know as well, your suppliers could be having some January sales meaning you save yourself some pennies!

Take Time Off

If none of the above takes your fancy, have some time off. If you've been swept off your feet for the last couple of months, you deserve some you-time. Even if you just have a weekend, you'll feel better for the recharge time and come back feeling fresh-faced and clear-minded. If you can't get away, maybe switch your phone off for a couple of days, stay off social media or plan some quality family and friends time.

What else do you plan to do in your January? Leave a comment below.