What’s your resolution for 2019? What’s your business resolution, that is? What do you hope to accomplish at work during the coming year?

Most business owners and managers just naturally strive to do better in one fashion or another: to better manage employees and processes, provide better products and services to customers and ultimately make more money. It’s just that a new year constitutes an especially good time for renewed efforts, an opportunity for a do-over, a chance to bring fresh energy and, hopefully, enthusiasm to the tasks at hand.

This new year constitutes an especially good time because of what are widely seen as improving economic conditions. One forecast characterizes the business and economic outlook for Mesa County in 2019 as not just positive, but “extremely positive.” What better time to push ahead than when headwinds aren’t likely to blow as strong?

Still resolved to do better? Here are five tips to help:

Take time to take stock. Given the hectic schedules of most business owners and managers, it’s understandably tempting to focus on the details of day-to-day operations without ever stepping back to look at the bigger picture. It’s important, though, to take regular breaks to think and talk about what’s happening — not only what might be going wrong, but also what’s going right. Involve employees in this process and incorporate their insights and suggestions. Compile a short and specific list of things to do. Schedule the next break in a week or a month or two, then review what’s been accomplished, what’s yet to get done and what additions or subtractions might be needed. Success isn’t so much a destination as a journey.

Make and maintain connections. Good business depends on developing good relationships — between managers and employees, between businesses and suppliers and certainly between businesses and customers. Taken advantage of leads groups and networking events to cultivate relationships. In fact, consider every single encounter an opportunity to foster relationships that could benefit your business. You never know when they might. Keep in mind, though, the one rule that remains golden: Treat others the way you’d like to be treated.

Seek out assistance. No business owner or manager has to singularly shoulder the responsibilities of their operations, even if they work alone. Ample assistance and advice is available in the Grand Valley, a lot of it for free. The Business Incubator Center and its Small Business Development Center in Grand Junction offer a range of resources. So do the Mesa County Workforce Center and local chambers of commerce. The U.S. Small Business Administration also offers a variety of information and training through its website at www.sba.gov.

Give back. Businesses that do well invariably also do good in supporting local philanthropic organizations and causes with their time, treasure or both. Employees like to work for businesses that are involved in the community. Customers like to purchase goods and services from those businesses. What goes around comes around.

Take advantage of the Business Times. While this might constitute a shameless plug, it’s a good tip nonetheless. Advertise. Submit news releases about your business and employees. We’re eager to share your news. If nothing else, read stories about what other businesses are doing and the advice columnists offer. Resources are just waiting there in print and online. Use them.

Just one more thing: Enjoy a prosperous 2019.