Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
I’ve noticed that in a few of my recent articles I mentioned projects that might be perfect for the end of the year. So, I thought today might be a good time to expand on the idea and share ways to be productive during the last two weeks of the year.
Before I became a consultant, I often worked during the final two weeks of the year. At first, it was because I had to. My colleagues had more seniority and vacation time. Later, I did it because I wanted to. The final two weeks of the year were quiet. Less email. Fewer meetings. I could catch up and cross off a few things on my “to-do” list. Even now, when I have more flexibility with my schedule, the last two weeks of the year are a great time to do some projects I never seem to find time for.
If you’re looking at your schedule and are unhappy about having to work while your colleagues are taking time off, let me share a few things you can do to prepare for the upcoming year. I realize it’s not the same as taking time off, but the sense of accomplishment could be wonderful. In fact, you might want to consider bookmarking this page and using it as an end-of-the-year checklist.
- Clean out your professional contacts. Sometimes our contact list has people on it with outdated information who haven’t stayed in touch. That digital entry is just taking up space. If you want, reach out and try to connect with those individuals via LinkedIn. Then you will always have their most current contact information.
- Update your social media accounts. Speaking of cleaning up contacts, use this quiet time to unfriend, unfollow, unlike, etc. those accounts and social media platforms that don’t bring value. You might also want to sign up for some new platforms like Bluesky. While you’re at it, take a moment to update your profile, photo, and contact information. The more accurate and current your profiles are, the more people will want to engage with you.
- Delete electronic files that you no longer need. A word of caution here – please check with your legal counsel and/or technology department before doing this. But my guess is the company’s 1986 dress code policy that is still sitting on someone’s computer could be deleted. Organizing your electronic files will make you more productive.
- Organize your reading. I don’t know about you, but I find that during the year, I add sites to my Feedly reader or my bookmarks only to later discover they’ve been outdated or abandoned. So, it’s good to clean out those electronic newsletters, sites, and blogs to make room for new ones. Hopefully you’ll continue receiving HR Bartender!
- Clean and dust your office. This is another area that I’m guilty of neglecting. Books get dusty. Computer cords get tangled. Take a couple of hours to move stuff and really clean. You’ll be amazed how good it feels (and smells!)
- Get your planner ready for the New Year. While I have a digital calendar, I still like using a paper planner. There are many different styles available, and they can serve multiple functions like planning, goal setting, journaling, etc. This year I’m using a Hobonichi Techo. Planning is an important activity that helps us stay focused and accomplish our goals. Find a highly productive system that works for you.
- Do a mini-HR audit. Pull a half dozen personnel files and make sure they look the way they’re supposed to. You can do the same with Form I-9. It’s better to have some sense of how your files look before an official audit. Need an audit checklist? The SHRM Knowledge Center can help you with that – members are able to request information for free!
- Talk with employees. I know that much of what we’ve discussed so far is about cleaning and organizing. Remember management by walking around (MBWA)? This is also a great time of year to get out of your office and talk with employees. Find out what’s going on. And if you have team members who will also be working, this could be a great time to schedule an extra one-on-one to wrap up the year and talk about future plans.
- Schedule one-on-ones with managers. Speaking of meetings, use the last two weeks of the year to meet with the managers who are also working. Talk with them about how HR can help and provide value. Plan some strategies together. Relationship building is a huge part of HR’s job. Here’s a great opportunity.
- Take a class. Been trying to find a few hours for your own professional development? I know how hard it can be to squeeze more productive time into an already busy schedule. Use the quiet time to listen to a podcast, webinar, and/or take a MOOC (massive open online course).
Oh, one more project. If you’ve been putting off updating your passwords, now could be a good time to get it done. Cybersecurity is important.
While we’d all like to spend the last couple weeks of the year on a tropical paradise, sometimes it’s simply not possible. So, if your plans involve work, use the time to your advantage. You can start the new year ready to be productive and make a huge impact.
Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby while exploring the streets of Boston, MA
The post 10 Ways to Be Productive During the Last Two Weeks of the Year appeared first on hr bartender.
