The Twelve Days Of…

Many of you have just 12 days working days left this year (12/11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 26, 27, 28).

If you are in retail, things are probably crazy for you (I hope so), but for many of you it is a time when things slow down a bit—clients are out a lot; there is a leave-it-until-next-year attitude about work; lots of office parties; and so on.

It is a good time to relax and enjoy the season; however, it is also a good time to get ready for 2013.

Here are 12 suggestions, in no particular order, which will help you get a good start next year without wearing you out this year:

Clean out your inbox.
Spend 15 minutes every day with an important coworker—no agenda, just building relationships.
Make two lists: a list of everything you want to do on your first day in 2013 and a list of everything you need to get done in January.
Make one phone call every day to a customer, client, partner, etc., thanking them for 2012 and asking what you can do for them in 2013.
Spend 30 minutes with every person you directly supervise—again, no agenda.
Ask your boss what “specifically” you can do in 2013 to serve him/her better.
Don’t work late. Get out of the office at a reasonable time.
Don’t work at home. Focus on family and friends.
Gather several of your coworkers and do a simple service project—help someone who needs it.
Clean your office or workspace—90% of the clutter can probably be thrown away.
Clean out the office refrigerator—you know it needs it. (Whatever is smelly now will be a lot worse on January 2^nd.)
Finish that one project you don’t want to do, but needs to be done (you know the one I’m talking about).

If all 12 don’t apply to you, substitute something that does. The point is, it’s okay to slow down, but don’t come to a dead stop. Don’t start 2013 with “I wish I had…”

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