Have you ever made a New Year’s resolution, only to abandon it because you don’t have a clear plan? A strategy can make the difference between forgotten resolutions and a successful year.

Our Chief Operating Officer, Erin Steinbruegge, is an experienced entrepreneur and marketer and a pro at reaching goals. In her LinkedIn post, Reflect, Refresh and Rally: How to Greet the New Year Like a Boss, Erin shares her end-of-December routine and explains how it helps her get a meaningful and productive start to the year.

The first step: reflect.

Reflect on the past year

As she prepares to set new goals, Erin looks back over her year to track her progress and figure out what she wants to improve. She reflects upon what she’s learned and what she hopes to learn in the coming year. She looks at her progress toward her physical health goals and ways she can bring more spirituality into her life, then reviews her finances and where she is in her career. Finally, she evaluates her relationships with her family, friends and community and asks herself if her choices accurately reflect her relationship priorities and what she might change to improve her relationships moving forward.

Erin says that thinking about her long-term goals in these areas helps her face professional challenges with confidence and makes her more grateful for the opportunities that are yet to come.

Once she’s reflected on the last 12 months, it’s time to recharge and get ready for the new year.

Relax and declutter

One of Erin’s favorite ways to relax is coloring. In fact, she says she’s happy to sit down and color with any kid who asks. She has other ideas for unwinding, too, such as reading books, taking long walks and spending a day at the spa.

Erin also likes to devote a couple of days to preparing for the coming year at the office. She cleans out her inbox, organizes files and sorts through everything she has bookmarked recently. She says it feels great to clean out her digital workspace and make a fresh start.

Next up is strategizing.

Plan to reach your goals

Erin sets her goals while keeping her values and priorities in mind. When it’s appropriate, she likes to share her goals with other people, such as coworkers or friends. Telling someone else about a goal motivates her to commit to it. Plus, talking about her goals with others gives them a chance to support her and offer advice.

Finally, Erin identifies the habits she needs to form in order to reach her goals. When she knows what habits she should work on every day, she can start making progress immediately.

What are your goals for 2016? Do you have a strategy to accomplish them? Read Erin’s post on LinkedIn for more ideas on getting ready for 2016.