closing the loop

how to end the year without burning out

every december, there’s this quiet pressure to tie everything up in a neat little bow — inboxes cleared, goals wrapped, mindset reset. the lists get longer, the days get shorter, and somehow we’re all still trying to be fully functional humans while the world collectively runs out of steam. but here’s the truth: not every loop needs to be closed before january. some projects are meant to carry over. some plans need more breathing room. and sometimes the most productive thing you can do is admit you’re not going to finish it all — and that’s okay.

the weeks leading up to the holidays always remind me how easy it is to confuse closure with control. i used to think ending the year strong meant cramming in as much as possible — one last push before the clock resets. and sure, i got a lot done. but i also ended up exhausted, resentful, and too tired to enjoy the very season i’d been waiting for.

now, i try to do it differently. i focus less on finishing and more on finishing well. that looks like cleaning out my digital clutter, tying up any major work threads, and then deciding what can rest until january — even if it’s only halfway done. there’s something freeing about giving yourself permission to leave some things open. not abandoned, not forgotten — just paused.

because the truth is, closure doesn’t always happen on schedule. sometimes it comes quietly in february or in the middle of a random tuesday when your brain finally has space to process what you were pushing through. and that’s fine.

this season isn’t about performing productivity — it’s about clearing mental space for what’s next. that’s what “ending the year strong” actually means. not doing more, but being intentional about what you choose to carry forward.

so if you’re staring down your to-do list and feeling that familiar “it all has to get done” panic, take a breath. decide what truly needs to be finished, what can wait, and what you can just let go of entirely. you don’t have to cross every line to call the year complete. sometimes closing the loop is as simple as saying, “that’s enough for now.”