The end of December is one of my favourite times of the year. There’s a collective quieting in the work world, which makes it significantly easier to detach and disconnect. There’s no professional ‘fomo’ or sense that your team, clients, or business are rumbling on without you. It’s a lot harder to disconnect during a normal course vacation when you’re the only one off. I love the drop-off in emails and notifications this time of year.
I’m a sucker for the festive decorations in storefronts and outside of people’s houses. There are generally lots of social things happening, and people tend to be in a good mood. Lots of good meals to be had. I know not everyone does, but I’ve always had a fond association with Christmas and Hanukkah, which makes the holiday season a treat.
I also enjoy closing the chapter on the year and the finality of an ending calendar period. January represents the hope and excitement of a new beginning. I always spend ~30 minutes this time of year jotting down reflections on the year past and goals for the coming year. I try not to formalize it too much. Whatever comes to mind, I make note of in bullet form. Over time, it serves as a point-in-time collection of what was top of mind each year. I started doing this in 2019 and it’s a lot of fun to go back and re-read previous years.
I hope everyone finds some downtime this holiday season and I wish you all an exceptional 2025.