Strategies for a Productive End to the Year
Introduction
As the back end of November approaches, we find ourselves in a period that often tests the resilience of even the most motivated amongst us. The final stretch of the year can feel like trudging through treacle — fatigue is high, holiday plans and parties are abundant, and the temptation to ease off is hard to resist. It’s easy to slip into autopilot, coasting through until January with the expectation that the fresh calendar will bring a renewed sense of purpose.
Yet, how we handle these closing weeks can have a lasting impact, setting the tone for the new year ahead. This period doesn’t have to be a write-off. With the right strategies, individuals and organisations can transform the end of the year into a time of purpose, reflection, and even rejuvenation.
Here’s how.
Celebrate achievements
On a business level, one of the most effective ways to combat year-end fatigue is to celebrate and recognise the accomplishments of employees over the past year. When employees see that their hard work has been noticed and appreciated, they’re more likely to stay engaged and motivated through December. Organisations with a strong culture of appreciation consistently report higher productivity and lower turnover [1].
One way to celebrate the accomplishments of the previous year is to host an end-of-year celebration, whether it’s a formal awards ceremony or an informal gathering. It can be a great way for everyone to let their hair down, while also having their hard work acknowledged. Even simple acts of recognition, such as personalised thank-you notes from senior leaders, can leave a meaningful impact, demonstrating a level of thoughtfulness that keeps spirits high.
Similarly, on an individual level it’s helpful to set some time aside to look over the year and make note of all that’s been achieved. As career coach Luciana Paulise writes in Forbes, “Assessing your accomplishments provides a foundation for setting realistic and impactful goals for the upcoming year. Also, review the books you have read, the courses and webinars you have attended, and the coaching sessions you have had. All of them are signs of growth, effort and consistency.” [2]
It can be easy to fall into the end of year doom cycle –– the existential “did I really accomplish anything worthwhile or did another year just pass me by” misery spiral that December tends to usher in. Celebrating your wins, big and small, is an effective way to counter that. Maybe you didn’t cure cancer, but I’ll bet you made some tiny changes to yourself and those around you. That can be enough.
Set goals
Another key to sustaining momentum is to set clear and realistic goals for the final month of the year. This isn’t the time for overly ambitious targets that could lead to burnout. Instead, December’s goals should be strategic and attainable, giving employees a sense of direction and purpose.
Organisational psychologist Karlyn Borysenko makes the case for setting truly tiny goals at the end of the year [3]. She argues that small goals offer a number of benefits. To start, they are far less intimidating — especially as the year winds down. When faced with the prospect of tackling something substantial, the sheer scale can feel overwhelming. Instead, opting for something small and manageable often makes it much easier to get started. Tiny goals also help create a habit of success, getting you into a productive rhythm. Once you feel that you’re hitting your goals, even if they’re small, it will fill you with confidence that can keep that momentum up. You can also use them to build up to bigger goals. As she argues, no one runs a marathon the first time out; you start with a few kilometres and then work the distances up from there.
For those of an even more productive mindset, Borysenko also makes a case for getting started on your new resolution early. “There’s no reason to wait until January 1 to hit the gym,” she says [4]. We tend to think of the new year as some grand new world, but it’s really just another set of days like any other. Your new year can start whenever you want it too. Plus, get it in early enough and it might not begin with the thumping headache that tends to accompany January 1st.
Prioritise well-being
It’s also important to acknowledge the reality of fatigue and the need for rest. We’re eleven months into the year. People are tired. Encouraging employee well-being during this period is not just a compassionate gesture, it’s a strategic move that can enhance productivity. Well-rested employees are more effective, creative, and engaged, not to mention the fact they tend to like their boss more and feel more motivated to work for them [5]. In other words, initiatives that promote rest and relaxation can pay significant dividends.
One way organisations can prioritise their employees’ well-being during the back end of the year is to introduce flexible work arrangements in December, allowing employees to adjust their schedules to better balance work and personal commitments as they see fit. This level of trust and flexibility can help maintain productivity; it may sound counter-intuitive, but sometimes the best way we can improve our productivity is to do less.
There are also a number of wellness initiatives that businesses can provide for their teams at the end of the year. Making time for a group yoga session, guided relaxation break, or even short mindfulness workshop can add some much needed rest to a busy workflow and re-energise tired workers.
Equally, if employees have unused paid time off, companies should encourage them to take it to recharge fully before the new year. Too many companies view everything through a transactional lens –– if X staff member didn’t take two holiday days then that’s a win for the company because technically they worked two days for free. But the truth is that the real win for the company comes from having a fully energised workforce. In the short-term, the company gains from unused holiday days. In the long-term, they lose every time.
Close projects
To wrap up the year smoothly, companies should adopt a disciplined approach to closing out projects. The aim should be to avoid leaving unfinished tasks hanging over into January. A project closure checklist can be a useful tool for ensuring all deliverables are finalised, lessons learned are documented, and project management systems are updated. This level of organisation minimises the risk of any loose ends causing headaches in the new year. None of us want to return in January to find we’ve got a pile of last year’s laziness waiting for us. As The Secrets to Happiness at Work author Dr. Tracy Brower recommends, “Avoid the temptation to foist too much off into the future” [6]. Get what needs to be done out of the way now. Future you will thank you for it.
Communicate
It may sound obvious but it’s crazy how often it isn’t done. During these final weeks of the year, lots of staff are using up leftover holiday or have strategically planned it to coincide with the Christmas break. If you’re going away, it’s essential to communicate what you’re leaving behind that needs to be done to your colleagues. Are you expecting them to cover you? Have you delegated specific tasks to specific people? Have you checked in advance that your colleagues have the requisite understanding and bandwidth to get those tasks done?
It can be easy to get so excited by our upcoming break that we don’t take time to do our co-workers a solid by providing them all the information they need. You need to understand that they’re busy, tired and approaching the end of the year too –– and you can bet your bottom dollar that they’ll be prioritising their final workload over your own. Make clear to them what needs doing and, crucially, whether they can contact you about it and if so how. None of us want to be bothered on our time off. A good way to ensure that we’re not is to properly communicate and delegate before we go.
Switch off
Which leads onto the final advice –– when you’re gone, switch off! You may have noticed that most of us carry out incessantly pinging devices every day. We can check our work email, monitor our projects, and realistically do many facets of our job from anywhere in the world, even a beach in Fiji (if you’re lucky enough to really be holidaying). The ease with which we can stay connected, unsurprisingly, makes it difficult to disconnect. But it’s important that we do. It’s been a long year, another one lies ahead. We don’t get much time to ourselves. Which is why when we do, we should use it.
Some staff, especially the more senior variety, may need to check-in with the office every now and then. If so, set times when you’re going to do it and apply limits. Be strict. Too often time off taken for the sole purpose of rest and relaxation offers neither of those things. We can be our own worst enemy in that regard. But we don’t need to be. Make an active effort to give yourself space to decompress, lord knows we all need it every now and then.
Strategies for a productive end to the year
As the year winds down and the challenges of fatigue and holiday distractions set in, it’s crucial for both individuals and organisations to stay strategic and intentional. Finishing the year strongly is not just about squeezing out the last bits of productivity; it’s about setting the stage for sustained success and well-being. By celebrating achievements and offering genuine recognition, businesses can keep spirits high and remind employees that their efforts matter. Setting realistic goals and prioritising employee well-being can help maintain focus without risking burnout.
Moreover, taking steps to close projects efficiently and communicating effectively with colleagues ensures that the transition into the new year is as seamless as possible. Finally, the power of disconnecting — truly switching off to recharge — cannot be underestimated. As the year comes to a close, remember that the investment in well-being and strategic focus now will pay dividends in the coming year. In the end, finishing strong is about balance, thoughtful planning, and making room for genuine rest and renewal. With these strategies, both businesses and individuals can head into the new year feeling refreshed, accomplished, and ready for whatever comes next.
More on Facing a New Year
New Year’s Resolutions: How to Make Them Useful
Effectively Implementing Goals
What is the “Fresh Start Effect” and how can we use it to our Advantage?
Assessing Your Year’s Progress
Sources
[1] https://hbr.org/2013/07/employee-engagement-does-more
[5] https://www.betteryou.ai/why-well-rested-employees-are-more-productive/
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