16-17_David Robertson.qxp_Grid 19/12/2024 19:10 Page 1
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BY DAVID ROBERTSON OF JP POZZI, ELGIN AND BUCKIE.
An Abundance Mindset For some people and businesses, January is all about new challenges, new goals, even maybe a new job or new relationship. For others it can be a period of low mood, sadness and a lack of motivation. I would hope that most of us retailers have enjoyed a good December and are in a reasonable place, that is until our VAT bill drops, Typically, the third Monday in January is classed as Blue Monday, which is nothing to do with the epic New Order tune, but the day when people are classed as being at their lowest. So here are a few simple tips and hints that can be followed to safeguard your own personal wellbeing, something I am trying to implement as I want to be fitter as my son grows up!
So, another Christmas of sparkly lights and stellar sales has come and gone and all of a sudden, January looms with dark nights, cold mornings and bills to face for us retailers as well as our customers. Are the January blues real or are they a mindset? David Robertson suggests it’s time to adopt an abundance mindset.
struggle to read a book or watch a film without my brain drifting to work or a million little tasks I have to do. I really want to be able to stop and switch off. Workwise my clear goal is to find a better way to manage our stock both in terms of the amount we are holding and how we order going forward as it has such an impact on the success, cashflow and physical space in your business. Retailers need stock, but we also need to have different products that set us apart as well as fabulous presentation to sell that product.
1 - Understand that feeling a little low is normal 2 - Get as much daylight as possible 3 - Keep fit and active 4 - Avoid unrealistic NY resolutions 5 - Eat well 6 - Sleep properly 7 - Learn a new skill 8 - Seek help if things get on top of you 9 - Use the power of positive thoughts to help each day Now I have started my January early with a goal to lose some weight, sleep more and try and relax. In recent years I’ve found it a 16 PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE
Above: David is putting his back into getting fit and losing weight. Above right: Hudson, David’s son seems to making more time for reading than his Dad.
My other major goal is better communication. This includes between the business and customers as well as between myself and the team. We all sit here knowing that with the NI increases, the change in rates and the increase in Minimum Wage we will have to be so much cleverer in terms of how we run our teams. The Government has basically gone back on most of its pre-election messages and of placing blame on the Government who has left office. I have lost all interest in Government and maybe even the news. It just feels like we are all going to work a lot harder to be left with even less. The new year should be a positive thing, but instead so many businesses are looking at cutting hours, reducing staff, working longer themselves and protecting cashflow. This negativity is not