With the holiday season, you might be excited to spend a lot of time with your family. But before you get too caught up in Christmas cheer, catch up on your work and tasks that need to be completed before the year ends. This will give you peace of mind and allow you to enjoy the Yuletide without any regrets.
The holidays aside, taking stock of your progress as the year ends is essential. That includes the work you’ve completed and projects still in development.
Here are the four essential tasks you must take care of before December 31st. With a bit of planning, you can ensure you’re not left behind at the end of the year.
1. Complete pending projects
Establish a timeline for completing pending projects, including assignments that haven’t been prioritized these past few days or weeks. If you want to ensure the success of your work in progress, allocate adequate time and resources. As the iconic slogan of a sportswear brand goes, just do it.
Don’t let your work carry on into the new year. Allocate time for it now. Even if it’s just an hour or two each day, it will go a long way. It will also help ensure that work is done on time and that no deadlines are missed.
2. Close your accounting books
Another matter you need to attend to is your bookkeeping. Send invoices to clients who haven’t been billed, and follow up on payments. File and pay your taxes throughout the year. Have enough time to finish your bookkeeping and document filing by New Year’s Eve. After all, you don’t want to have any last-minute surprises or penalties when your taxes are due next year.
3. Review your pricing and clientele
A lot can happen in 12 months. You might have additional expenses that weren’t considered when you set your prices early in 2021. Or you may now have a client who requires different services from those you offered last year. Or maybe your overhead is so high that it’s impossible to stay afloat without raising prices. Regardless of the reason, look at your current rates and roster of clients. This will help ensure you’re not stuck in a long-term commitment with clients who aren’t paying their fair share.
4. Set goals for the new year
The year is soon winding down. If you want to focus on what matters in 2022, now’s the time to set some goals. Making resolutions for the new year is an excellent way to develop a plan for success. It can also help you stay on track and accomplish your goals with less stress.
Don’t let the end of the year sneak up on you. Make the most of the last few weeks of 2021 by checking off the most critical tasks on your list so that everything is in order come 2022.