In the blink of an eye, we’ll be saying goodbye to another year. With the holidays upon us, days seem to go by faster than ever, leaving you with a lot less time on your hands than you’d hoped.
If you’ve been procrastinating, this is the time to check things off your to do list.
Here are the 10 things you need to do before the end of the year:
1. Get your health in order
It’s an easy thing to put off. Even more so if you’re taking care of others and have limited time for yourself. But this is one area where it’s not OK to push things off. Schedule the mammogram, visit your dentist, whatever you’ve been putting off… just get it done.
2. Check prepaid flexible spending benefit accounts
Need a new pair of eyeglasses? Have money left over from your dependent care benefit account? It’s easy to forget about money you’ve technically already spent. Review your accounts and be sure to submit receipts that qualify for reimbursement or make a plan to use what you have left over! Remember, if you don’t spend it before the end of the year, you lose it.
3. Clean out your closet
Why wait until spring? Get your closets in order now. You’ll be ready to kick off the new year in your most loved styles and make room for things to come.
4. Let go of harboring resentments
Do whatever it takes to let go of the things that don’t serve you. Make the effort to have a repairing conversation with a friend or family member that caused you to harbor any ill feelings. Or, simply choose to honestly and fully let your resentment go and start fresh. Either way, you’ll go into the new year with a clean slate and an open heart.
5. Take a look back
Did you achieve what you wanted for the year? If not, figure out what held you back and how to prevent it from happening again.
6. Set goals for next year
Don’t wait until New Year’s Eve to set goals. In the next few weeks, while you have a quiet moment, consider what you want to accomplish and how you will get things done in the new year. You’ll go into next year with a sense of calm, having a clear vision for yourself.
7. Make the people who fuel you feel special
You know the people that matter most to you. Chances are they know they matter to you too. Nonetheless, it’s important to take time to really honor those special relationships with family and friends. You’ll end up getting just as much out of the gesture as they will.
8. Get your financial paperwork in order
Wouldn’t it be great not to wait until days before taxes are due to get everything in order? Organize whatever financial paperwork you can now so that when your W2 comes in, you’re ready to send everything to your accountant. You’ll have reduced your stress and be catching your accountant when s/he has more time to focus on you. You may even get a refund in time that you can put toward a nice winter getaway.
9. Plan a trip
Whether you get a big tax refund or not, plan a trip. It will not only make the winter more bearable, it’s scientifically proven to make you happier! Just the act of planning a trip can make you happier than the trip itself!
10. Reconnect with yourself
It could be as simple as carving out time you didn’t think you had to do something you love. For instance, staying in bed one day to read a good book or watch a movie you’ve been meaning to see. Or, it could be more involved like hiring a coach to keep you on track with all you want to accomplish.
If you’re like most people, you’re wondering how it’s already the end of another year. Time is our most precious commodity. Sadly, that doesn’t mean we manage it as well as we should. You give a fair share of yourself to your friends, family and work. But don’t forget about yourself or put off your own needs. You have to make time for YOU. There will be so much more of you to go around when you’re feeling your best!
