It’s December and for me, the quietest time of the year. That doesn’t really mean that things aren’t busy, but some of my biggest deadlines are currently a few months into the future, and there is no more major travel planned between now and January, so this is as ‘quiet’ as it gets. And I am keen to capitalise on that. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As someone who actively tries to become less efficient and work less hard (looking for more sustainable, balanced productivity instead) this time of the year offers a much needed chance to spend some time tidying up. Here is what I intend to do in the run up to the holidays:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I have plenty of recurring meetings in my diary, and at the end of each year I check in on them. I look at whether I still need the meeting at all, whether the time still works, what’s changed and how I can adjust and plan for my week better. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The kinds of meetings I often change are individual catch ups, mostly due to working patterns changing or the focus of collaboration shifting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
My long term to do list is a a long list of things I want to tackle at some point, action items that are usually neither urgent nor important. Long term to do lists, for me, are the back of the back burner. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is where I brain dump ideas, links to things that may be interesting one day, long term hopes or ideas that I could investigate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the end of each year, I review and prune my list. Usually there are a couple I have actually implemented, which can be marked as completed. Some have become obsolete and get deleted, whilst others may now move towards the actual planning phase. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I also prune and tidy my other lists, primarily trying to complete quick wins and plan for larger pieces of work come 2023. I try to be realistic, spacing them out for the new year, so that I don’t start January with a completely unachievable list on day 1. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Alongside that, I have a clear out of files and folders, my inbox and desk. Out with the old… and make space for fresh thinking for the new year. I usually book a half day out in my calendar in the last working week of the year, for precisely that purpose. I want to make sure I have time to clear up, and leave things in a nice way for the new year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
One thing I don’t do is to send 100 emails clearing my inbox just before I finish for the year. I am the recipient of many of these from others, and I dislike it personally. If something wasn’t urgent up to 23rd December, it can probably wait until 3 January. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
So in order to empty my inbox, I schedule or draft emails ready to send in the new year and that way, I don’t get lots of harried responses and others don’t get 100 more emails from me. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of the biggest joys of ending the year is to start planning for a fresh new year. I ordered a new journal yesterday, and this is always one of my favourite things to do. Have a little re-arrange, tidy and make space for new things. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
It’s December and for me, the quietest time of the year. That doesn’t really mean that things aren’t busy, but some of my biggest deadlines are currently a few months into the future, and there is no more major travel planned between now and January, so this is as ‘quiet’ as it gets. And I am keen to capitalise on that. As someone who actively tries to become less efficient and work less hard (looking…<\/p>\n