Five Things to Plan For The Year End
We are coming up to the end of the year. As I am writing this, there are 32 days left for the year 2020.
The last month of the year is generally a busy period in our lives. To plan for the year-end, I used my weekly review this weekend to dream and plan how to end this year strong.
In a previous article, I wrote that the practice of the Weekly Review is the glue that holds my productivity system together.
At the beginning of December, I have what I consider one of my favorite reviews. During this time you can generally start preparing for the year’s end.
Because of its importance, I like to perform this review in a cabin up in the nearby mountains. I get the fireplace lit up, put Christmas music on the radio, and allow myself space to dream and plan for the holidays.
To finish the year on a strong note, I suggest you also invest the time to perform a thorough Weekly Review this week.
Here are five areas I examined during this weekly review. These can give you some starting ideas of what to consider.
1. Plan for Christmas celebrations
Allow yourself to dream how you want Christmas to look like this year.
The holiday will be a lot different than in prior years, due to the restrictions and the pandemic. But it can be equally festive, with a little advanced planning.
- Who do you want to spend the holidays with, and where?
- Who are you visiting? Make plans early and organize a project to ensure you are traveling safely.
You may also plan for Christmas-related projects like decorating the house, shopping for food, and others.
2. Plan for Christmas presents
In the same spirit as above, you can take some time to consider intentionally the presents you want to make this year.
Then, you can make a rough plan when you will purchase them and where (online, in-person), and when you will wrap them. Finally, you can plan relevant visits to give presents.
3. Sending Christmas cards
We have a tradition in our family to send out handwritten Christmas cards to a selection of good friends and close family.
If you enjoy the same, you can create a project to buy the cards and decide when you will write them. You can also set a deadline to send them by post on time so that they arrive before Christmas.
For our family, writing the cards is a whole celebration. We make hot chocolate, put on Christmas music, and sit around the table writing cards for hours.
The kids love it.
4. Consider year-end deadlines
There are several year-end deadlines that we all need to meet.
These are likely different for you. I keep a checklist that I review at the beginning of December and add the deadlines on the calendar.
Furthermore, I create separate projects for each deadline with the requirements I need to meet and outline the tasks. Finally, I decide when I will work on them during the month.
For example, I need to make sure I pay some annual fees and make a declaration to a professional organization I am a member. I plan to complete this task in the second week of December, ahead of the deadline.
Do you have any deadlines that you must meet by the end of the year?
5. Planning an Annual Review
For the past few years, I have been completing an Annual Review.
During this process, I review the current year, study the lessons, and bring closure to my year.
Then, I follow specific steps to plan what I want to achieve the next year.
This review is probably one of my favorite activities for the holidays. I get to actively design what I want to accomplish in the next year. By following a specific process, I give myself the best chance to make sure I achieve them.
I will write more about this annual review process in a future article.
Key Takeaways
To achieve the life you want, you need to be intentional with your plans and your actions.
The Weekly Review at the beginning of December is the perfect opportunity to plan for the holidays.
Consider these five areas to make sure you end your year on a strong note:
- Plan for Christmas celebrations
- Decide your Christmas gifts
- Decide when you will write and send your Christmas cards
- Consider year-end deadlines
- Plan your Annual Review
Let the count-down to the year end begin!
Question
What do you want your holidays this year to be like?
