Three weeks to end of year… what’s the rush?
Today is December 10th. (Bear that in mind as you read the next sentence.) Yesterday, I observed a client conducting a global planning project all of a sudden publish a completion deadline of December 27th. To be fair, the project does need to kick off early in Q1-2014 but two days after Christmas? Seriously? Would it really make that much of a difference if the deadline was Jan 8th, 10th or even Jan 30th?
I shared this feeling with the client but they insisted that they really wanted to get this plan wrapped up in 2013 so they could “hit the ground running” in 2014.
Go ahead. Grimace at this situation for a moment.
But then ask yourself: Are you handling the last few weeks of 2013 much differently? Are you perhaps setting impossible deadlines that may not be completely necessary as we approach the end-of-year wind down?
Now, if you’re rushing to complete matters that are germane to your bonus or promotion then by all means hurry up. Stop reading right now. Don’t let me distract you from achieving your goals and completing the time-sensitive work that is closely watched by your boss and/or stakeholders. But, if that’s not 100% the case, please reconsider the self-imposed urgency you may be attributing to certain work items.
To help you figure your way through this little challenge, ask yourself:
“Why am I in such a rush to complete this item of work? Why is it on my 2013 must-do list?”
Maybe you don’t want it hanging over your head during the holiday period? I get it. But does that make it critical to complete, or is it merely uncomfortable to leave open? Is there any consequence if it continues on January 2nd?
Probably not. More likely- you’re closing out the year and you just want to check off boxes and feel completion.
Save that impulse (and the required intensity) for what you have to do, for what’s really meaningful to complete by December 31st. The rest can, and should, wait.
After all, next year is just around the corner. Your systems will still be there. Your users will come back. You don’t need to rush. There’s value in winding down.
