If your team always returns from the holidays more exhausted than energized, you’re likely dealing with the end-of-year productivity paradox: The final weeks of December, when everyone already feels stressed and depleted, are overloaded with deadlines, meetings, and last-minute obligations. This stress ultimately undermines productivity and momentum in the new year. A “Wrap-Up Week” can shift that dynamic, helping your team end the year strong—and start the new one fresh.
Set expectations. Frame Wrap-Up Week as a tool to reduce stress and set the team up for success. Prioritize finishing tasks over starting new ones, cancel unnecessary meetings, and encourage out-of-office replies to protect deep focus time. Create space for closure, not chaos.
Identify which tasks to prioritize during the week. Use four questions to guide your team’s focus: Which two-way door (i.e., reversible) decisions have been postponed? What unfinished tasks would feel the most satisfying to complete? Which overdue conversations need to happen? What meetings or reports could be eliminated or reduced next year? Answering these questions clarifies where to direct your energy and what to leave behind.
Celebrate the ritual. At week’s end, highlight team wins and key insights. Then ask: How are you feeling heading into the new year, compared to last year? A short reflection reinforces the value of the ritual and builds momentum for a stronger start in January. |
