It’s that time again. As we busy ourselves with holiday activities and try to wrap up loose ends in our businesses, we start to quietly shift the items that we had on the agenda for 2025 to 2026; goals that aren’t quite completed, dreams that haven’t yet unfolded, and plans that haven’t come into fruition. They didn’t fall into place this year, but they certainly will next year.
I’m one for wrapping up the year in a bow at the end of December in order to set myself up for success in the following year. It helps bring in closure, clarity and continued momentum for what’s to come next.
The first thing that I like to do is to close the year intentionally. This starts with some reflection and a review of the year. I set aside a chunk of time and ask myself a series of questions. What went well this year? What were some of my wins? Which projects did I make progress on? What healthy habits did I embrace? How did I grow?
Then, I dive into what didn’t go so well. Why? What did I learn? In which places did I overcommit? Do I need to invest more time there? It’s helpful to write it all down and review it so that you can refer back to it and grow from the process.
After that, I perform a sort of mini-life-audit. I look at several areas, checking for where I am and where I want to be. I look at my career and business, health and energy, personal growth, finances, relationships, fun, rest, and balance. I try to assign them a score of 1 to 10 (with 10 being optimal) and set a goal for where I would like to be by the end of 2026.
Next, I look for loose ends. What can I close out and wrap up before the end of December? Outstanding items drain energy and cause anxiety. I continue to ask questions. Are there any stalled projects that I need to complete? It’s important to do things like cleaning out my inbox, organizing notes and folders, and responding to any outstanding messages or bills. This is an ideal time to finish, delegate, and delete.
Once that has been taken care of, I reset my systems so next year runs more smoothly. I look for places where my routines inhibited me, where there was friction, and what activities felt forced. Additionally, I try to find areas of improvement related to morning and evening routines, weekly planning, task management, and meeting structure. Then, I attempt to simplify my commitments and processes. It’s also a great time to look at my commitments and see what can be reduced or automated.
From there, I try to set a direction for the following year by identifying guiding themes, like Business Success, Travel, and Balance. These themes will help guide my sense of purpose and direction in the coming year. Then, instead of a New Year’s Resolution, I like to set a few meaningful goals, related directly to my themes. Three to five of them can be personal goals, and three to five of them can be related to business. Goals are just goals without an action plan, so I tie them to first steps, or small actions that I can take to kick off each.
After that, I try to plan my ideal week in 2026. I break it down in terms of health and wellness, work, pleasure, rest and more. I also include my non-negotiables such as working out daily and including 7-8 hours of sleep per day. I’m also sure to include some time for gratitude and reflection.
A successful year doesn’t start in January. It begins by planning for it in December and closing out any loose ends in the current one. By choosing some themes, planning your time, and setting your intentions, you’ll not only close out 2025 on a high note, but set yourself up for success in 2026. Happy Holidays!