Every year I’ve been in business, September hits and I realize I’m not prepared for the onslaught of work the holiday photography season will bring. I know I should have my end-of-year marketing calendar, sales plans, and schedule figured out by the beginning of summer, but I’m just not that type of person. Know thyself, right?

October, November, and December whiz by. Suddenly, I’m at the end of the season, tired and ready to hibernate. I close the books, feeling like I just finished grinding out the year and then I realize I have to start the cycle again. How can anyone get excited about that?

I have to remind myself that not only does the sales goal year reset, but my brain and body also need a reset. Self-care is not indulgent. It’s necessary for all of us. Regardless of whether you met your goals for the year, pat yourself on the back and allow yourself time to rest. Put down the camera and close the computer for as long as you can; get some quality time with things you love to do when you aren’t getting paid for them. This is a great time to think about things that might get you excited about photographing again. Think about launching a project that’s just for you, without an agenda or a plan for how it will make you any money. What if that thing wasn’t photography? Explore things that bring you joy. (And if binge watching Netflix under a weighted blanket for a week is that thing, then do it without guilt.) Whatever it is that you need to create a clean slate for your brain and body, just do that.

Once you’ve cleared your head, it’s time to look at the past year. I try to set aside the first week of January to assess the previous 12 months to determine what worked, what didn’t, and what needs to change. You don’t have to figure it out perfectly, but you can’t see where you’re going if you don’t know where you’ve been. Once you have data, you’re prepared for planning. Consider new marketing strategies, new product offerings, or areas of improvement based on your numbers and your reflections.

Now think about your growth potential. This doesn’t just apply to how much money you make. What can you do to see growth in different areas of your business? Were there challenges you faced this year that could have been handled better? Looking into the future, how would you deal with those problems differently knowing what you know now? Were you challenged enough? Maybe it’s time to set higher sales goals to push you to the next level. Or how about new customers? Where are the untapped markets? How can you market to them?

None of this work is easy, and sometimes I find the best way to get started is to write down all the hard questions. I also like to have an accountability partner, a like-minded peer I can touch base with to plan and to hold each other to completing our self-assessments. A buddy system is a good place to find support.

Don’t forget about your personal and professional growth. What do you want to learn in the new year? How will you invest in yourself? Give strong consideration to attending Imaging USA, the largest and best conference for professional photographers. You’ll find so much inspiration for increasing your business and photography skills. Plus, I’ll be there cheering you on! Wishing you all the best and looking forward to seeing you in January.

Kira Derryberry is a studio owner and portrait and headshot photographer in Tallahassee, Florida.