Often, people make New Year’s resolutions that aren’t thought out or planned.

This results in unclear and unrealistic resolutions doomed to fail. According to U.S. News, a shocking 80% of New Year’s resolutions fail by February.

So how can your funeral home create a resolution that sticks? And how do you create resolutions not only to better your funeral home but also your own wellbeing? We’ll go over some tips and resolution ideas below.

Resolution Creation Process

The new year is an excellent time to implement resolutions for yourself and your funeral home. However, remember that you can make changes whenever you wish and not just starting on New Year’s Day. What’s important is that you have a plan in place to achieve it.

When drafting your resolution, have a clear resolution and end date in mind. What do you want to achieve? When do you want to achieve it by? Also, ask yourself if it’s possible to achieve your resolution within your desired time range.

It may help to create a step-by-step plan with smaller goals to meet throughout the year leading up to your main goal. By writing down a plan and talking about your resolution, it makes it easier to commit.

Also, it’s okay to reward yourself throughout the process. You should celebrate and treat yourself when you’ve reached milestones along the way. It also helps keep you motivated and excited throughout the process.

Resolution Ideas for Your Funeral Home

Your funeral home’s resolution can positively impact your staff, families, and community.

Here are a few resolution ideas for your funeral home:

• Update your website to a mobile-friendly and innovative design. According to SmallBusiness.com, 79% of small businesses with websites said their website is mobile-friendly. And, with 77% of Americans owning smartphones per Pew Research Center, many families will research your funeral home on a mobile device, making a mobile-friendly website a top priority.
• Step up your social media game. With 7 in 10 Americans using social media per Pew Research Center, this is an excellent way to engage with your families and community. Create a Facebook Page for your funeral home if you don’t already have one. Or, consider expanding to other social media platforms, such as Twitter and Instagram. You can use our free social media kits to get started.
• Update your funeral home’s lobby. Your lobby is the first impression families get of your funeral home. By updating your furniture and décor, you can create a comfortable and inviting space. Or you can create a plan and set goals for a large-scale renovation, such as adding a coffee shop or expanding your chapel.
• Offer more funeral payment options for your families. For example, with Tribute Pay, you can offer families multiple funeral payments options such as Tribute Crowdfunding, Tribute Loans, and Tribute Insurance Assignments.
• Host more community events. You can start by planning a holiday remembrance program if you don’t already plan one. Or, host educational seminars for your community, such as one about the importance of preplanning.

Resolution Ideas for Funeral Directors

Not only should you better your funeral home, you also should create resolutions for yourself. You can’t take care of your families unless you take care of yourself.

Below are some ways you can practice self-care:

• Stay active. Join an exercise class or start your day with yoga. Whether it’s working out, running, Pilates, or another activity, find something that you enjoy.
• Try new, healthy recipes. Healthy eating doesn’t have to be difficult. Check out this Food Network article for some quick and simple recipes.
• Take time for yourself. Read a new book, do one of your favorite hobbies, or try something new.
• Practice de-stressing activities. Do activities that help you de-stress after a long day, like going for a walk or watching your favorite show.
• Balance your work and home life. Try to keep your work discussions at the funeral home, even if it’s a family business. Your home should be a place to relax and spend time with family.

Our New Year’s Resolutions

Below are a few of our staff’s personal and professional New Year’s resolutions that we want to share with you!

“My professional New Year’s resolution is to build stronger relationships with the funeral homes and professionals we serve. It’s always great to put a face to the name, whether at trade shows or just visiting our clients. Even though we’re a technology company, I cherish the in-person interactions I have with funeral directors the most.” — Samantha Ward, Marketing Manager

“This year, my personal resolution is to practice more healthy habits for self-care. I want to strive to be more active and cook more healthy meals for myself. By practicing self-care, I can be the best version of myself in both my professional and personal life.” — Jenny Goldade, Content Writer

“My professional New Year’s resolution is to find new ways to tell stories about the incredibly meaningful work that funeral directors do on a daily basis, and to help share those stories that inspire funeral professionals and help families understand the importance of the funeral experience.”  — Jacob Terranova, Content Writer

“My personal New Year’s resolution is to adopt a lifestyle of slow living. Constantly on-the-go with work, social obligations, and errands, every day feels extremely hectic. I’m hoping to slow down, restore balance, and take time to appreciate the small, simple things in life.” — Katie Murphy, Designer

“For my professional New Year’s resolution this year, I would like to bring more products and better services to our wonderful clients by working with the design team to create, develop, and execute new themes and features to help keep our funeral home customers ahead of the curve and provide paramount service to families.”  — Ben Hartwig, Designer

What are your New Year’s resolutions? Share them with us in the comments below!