Making a strong start in 2022 is much easier if you end the year well. Have a good December and it’s so much easier to leap into action in January.

 

But what does it mean to end the year well? What can you do that will make a difference to how you start the New Year?

 

Here are 5 practical things you can do in December to ensure you start strong in 2022.

 

1.  Get your work to a good place

When it comes to returning to work in January, one thing that holds us back is picking up all the loose ends again and trying to get moving with your work. Maybe you ran out of time in December and ended up heading for your holiday break without thinking about how difficult it would be to get started again.

 

Avoid wasting the mental bandwidth of picking up all the loose ends by closing down your work in the right way in December. If you can, get each element of work to a sensible milestone and make notes about what the next actions need to be when you return. Clear out your outstanding items and task backlog and take control of your work to make it easier for yourself to focus on starting the year well.

 

2.  Declutter your workspace

 

Another big energy drain is a cluttered and disorganised workspace. Piles of paperwork, files and other office debris can be a real de-motivator when starting fresh. Therefore, take the opportunity to de-clutter your workspace and make it a pleasant place to return to in January. 

 

Also, remember to leave your 'next action' notes somewhere prominent so that you can be confident about what you need to do next when you return to your workspace.

 

3.  Review your year

 

Reviewing your year is an essential annual activity and an opportunity to take stock of where you are, reflect on your year, and note your achievements.  

 

What did you achieve this year? What has gone well and what didn't go so well? Look also at your day-to-date activities to see what has been taking up the majority of your time?  How are you doing overall? If your energy, confidence or happiness levels aren't where you would like them to be, make a note of this.

 

This review process is a great activity to do in December. Ideally, you will have more time for this reflection, and your observations will create an ideal platform for the next step, which is to …

 

4.  Start to scope out your goals for 2022

 

It's always a good idea to take some time to think about where you want to be in your career, even if your job is going well right now. 

 

What's working in your career? What's your most significant pain point? What would be the next ideal step? Start working from where you want to be and work backwards to see what you need to do to achieve those goals.

 

When you identify what's working, you can put more energy into those parts of your work. When you know your pain point, you can figure out how to solve it. And if you're thinking about the next steps, turn the reflection into tangible action items and milestones. Trust yourself that you know what to do come Jan 2022.

 

5.  Plan to take a break before the start of 2022

 

Repeated studies list the importance of taking breaks, and time away from work at Christmas is an ideal opportunity to do just that.

 

Breaks allow us to stay sharp and focused, and it helps with your enthusiasm and commitment to your job, which is extremely important when it comes to making a solid start in 2022.

 

Of course, when you do take a break you will be in great position to relax, reflect on your year and begin to loosely scope out what’s next for you in 2022.

 

So, there you have it, 5 practical things you can do in December to ensure you start strong in 2022.

 

1.    Get your work to a good place

2.    Declutter your workspace

3.    Review your year

4.    Start to scope you’re your goals for 20022

5.    Plan to take a break before the start of 2022

 

Additional suggestions: Sometimes you may need additional support in your career. In which case, seek help from those around you or get professional support. 

 

If you need help from a professional coach, reach out to me and let's have a FREE 45-minute chat. I can support you to make the leap into a more enjoyable role.