As you are thoughtfully wrapping gifts for friends and family over the next couple of weeks, don’t forget to wrap up a lil’ something for yourself- your year. Wrapping up your year is the best gift that you can give yourself this holiday season, ensuring that you are ready to tackle those infamous New Year’s resolutions when you resume your regular work schedule in 2020.

Along with making holiday plans, attending parties and participating in all of the seasonal festivities in the upcoming weeks, don’t forget to put a lid on 2019 by completing the following:

  • Start your end of year wrap up now by putting the finishing touches on any outstanding projects and reports. If you start now, those simple (yet time consuming) projects and reports that have been looming over your head can be completed before we ring in the new year. Of course ongoing projects and responsibilities will be waiting for you when you return, but if you use your time leading up to the holidays wisely, you won’t have the Ghost of Work Yet to Come keeping you from sleeping soundly.
  • While you are wrapping up your projects and reports, leave yourself time to go through your work emails. Double check that you haven’t kept anyone waiting on a response from you- unanswered emails tend to snowball quickly this time of year. Wrap up any communication that may have fallen through the cracks, and don’t forget to set your out of office before you take any time off!
  • As you hastily throw your laptop in your bag and start to sprint toward the door at 5:00pm on the last evening before your holiday time off, pause, turn around, go back to your desk, and take ten minutes to organize your workspace. Just ten minutes can make a difference in how you start the new year. Many would argue that the best way to start the year is with a clean slate- which includes your physical workspace. 
  • Once you feel like your projects, reports and communication are wrapped up, and your physical workspace is nice and tidy, schedule time to sit down and reflect over the past year. Yes, finding time to reflect is difficult with all of the hustle and bustle of the holidays; however, critically thinking about your professional progress (or lack thereof) can help you to determine which areas of your career you should be focusing on in 2020. As you are reflecting, make sure that you allow yourself the opportunity to celebrate your wins, brainstorm ways that you can overcome any losses and start setting those resolutions for the new year.