I hope you have had a wonderful Christmas break so far. I deliberated on sending a newsletter this week, but decided that, if you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you’re not at your desk. You might be on the sofa with a coffee. Hopefully away from the normal Friday noise of emails, Slack messages, and decisions that can’t wait.
Why the Christmas Break Changes How We Think
For me Christmas is normally about rest, spending time at home, and enjoying periods of thoughtful reflection. I personally enjoy the distance from the day-to-day pressure, the urgency and the feeling that everything needs a decision right now.
In that space, different questions start to surface:
- What am I actually creating and building?
- What do I want next year to feel like?
- What am I tired of carrying?
- What am I proud of?
It’s hard to hear, never mind answer, these questions once a normal Monday morning starts. However, they show up loud when we’re rested, reflective, and reminded that the business is part of our life and not the whole of it.
From Reflection to Readiness
The danger, of course, is that this clarity fades. January arrives quickly and routine starts again. The inbox fills up. Old patterns reassert themselves and urgency again crowds out intention.
That’s why I always try to capture a little of this Christmas perspective with a few clear decisions. You don’t need to answer everything. Just notice what comes up.
The New Year Checklist
Here is a set of questions to sit with over the break; you will not consider all, but take notice of which ones stick.
1. Pricing
- Are you charging what the work is genuinely worth?
- Which conversations about pricing do you already know are coming?
- Where are you under-charging: financially, emotionally, or both?
2. Clients
- Which client relationships energise you?
- Which ones quietly drain you?
- Who do you really want to be working with this time next year?
3. Offers
- Which services or products are you proud of?
- Which ones feel outdated, complicated, or heavy?
- If you could stop selling one thing next year, what would it be?
4. Team
- Where is your team genuinely strong?
- Where are you compensating too much?
- What conversations need to happen early in January to set the right tone?
5. Cash
- Does your current cash position help you sleep?
- Or is it always on your mind?
- What would “enough in the bank” actually look like for you next year?
6. You
- What do you ideally want your role to be focussed on next year?
- What are you still doing that you know you shouldn’t be?
- What do you want more of, and less of, in your working life?
7. Q1 Focus
- If only three things went right by the end of March, what should they be?
- What will you not prioritise, even if it feels urgent?
How to Use This Over the Break
You don’t need to turn this into a task list. Read it once now. Then let it sit. Jot down a thought if something lands. Revisit it in early January before the year takes off again.
Use it as a conversation starter:
- with yourself
- with your partner
- with an advisor
- or with a journal or notebook
This isn’t about productivity. It’s about arriving back at work clearer.
Why This Matters More Than You Think
Most January stress doesn’t come from workload. It derives from uncertainty, around decisions left unmade, conversations that never took place and priorities that weren’t made clear. When those decisions are already half-formed, even loosely, January already feels different. The work doesn’t disappear, but the weight of it does.
A Quiet Closing Thought
Over the past few weeks, this December series has been about:
- Ending the year intentionally
- Raising standards
- Letting go of what no longer fits
- And deciding calmly
This final piece isn’t about action. It’s about permission. The business owners who start the year strongest aren’t the ones who work through Christmas. They’re the ones who use the space it creates for them.
“The real act of discovery consists not in finding new lands, but in seeing with new eyes.” Marcel Proust
Helping leaders and businesses drive success forward
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We empower ambitious business owners to grow with clarity and confidence. Based in the UK, we specialise in working in creative and service-led industries that demand a financial partner who gets it — responsive, knowledgeable and always easy to talk to.
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