This post is part of the 24-day digital advent series. Missed a day?
View the entire series here.

---

 

When I set goals for myself as an entrepreneur and when I coach my clients, I always start with a plan.

When I do that, it often involves looking ahead to the next few months, or sometimes the next year. The end of the year is the perfect time for planning — which means it’s the perfect time for a solo planning retreat.

 

 

I highly recommend you take advantage of this slower time of the year and plan a solo biz retreat. I would even recommend taking 2 weeks off from business-related activities to really get your business in order and make lasting changes for the new year.

Being offline — even for a little bit — can be so powerful! By turning off your computer and mobile devices, you’ll be able to focus on getting things done and not worrying about creating content. You’ll be able to gain clarity on what you need to focus on, then put it into action.

As a solopreneur, staying focused is difficult because we’re running from project to project through the day, trying our best to prioritize tasks and finish things. Sometimes we get overwhelmed by all the things we want to do, but don’t have time for.

Your solo business retreat is a time to get back on track.

What is a solo business retreat?

A solo biz retreat is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a time to go away, write in your journal, take some time to reflect and plan the future of your biz. There are no rules for what your retreat has to be. The good news is that it is SOLO and you can tailor it to however you see fit.

1. When will you have your retreat?

• Think about the best time over the next month for you to have your retreat. Work around your family trips or family members coming into town visiting you. When will your clients start their vacation time and wrap up their client work?
  
• Take a look at your calendar and find a good stretch of time that you can carve out to be uninterrupted.
  
• I’m suggesting this retreat now for the end of the year, but you can also revisit this idea for mid-year or quarterly reviews as well.
  

2. How long should the retreat be?

Again, totally up to you. If you want to have a retreat away from home, that will depend on your budget, family, etc.

If you can swing it, you can opt to do a few days up to a couple of weeks. This works well during the end of the year holidays because your customers and clients will also be taking time off.

I recommend carving out at least 1 day (including an overnight). Otherwise, you are prone to getting distracted, and it turns into just another day.

TIP: If you are planning to travel more than an hour away for your retreat, make it on the longer end (maybe 5 days or more) so you don’t feel like you need a vacation from your retreat.

3. Where should the retreat be?

Once you’ve figured out when you will have it, and how long it will be, decide where you will be. Here are a few ideas:

• Book a room in a hotel, bed and breakfast, or Airbnb for a few nights
• Choose a room in your home and set it up with everything you need for a 1-day retreat
• Have a spa day for a few hours to clear your mind
• Take a trip to a wellness area in Sedona or head to a place like Kripalu or Satilla
  

 

4. What will you focus on?

Lastly, what will you accomplish during your retreat? It will partially be to unwind and complete some self-care, but don’t forget that this is also a planning retreat, so you’ll want to have something tangible come out of it as well. You can:

• Map out your first quarter
• Reset and organize your systems and processes
• Do some content batching (social media, blog posts, podcasts, etc.)
• Measure and Reflect on your metrics and data
• Sales revenue reflection and projection
• Reflect on your content, team, goals, etc.

I know solo biz retreat might sound a little bit crazy, but it some of the most productive work I’ve ever done. And I promise your business will thank you for it.

If you want to go deeper and need more details on what to focus on during your retreat, reach out and we’ll work through it together!