As 2023 comes to an end the mad rush to get everything in, ticked off, and completed for the year is well and truly underway. The phones are ringing hot at Recruit & Consult HQ with a steady stream of clients looking to activate recruitment plans for 2024 and candidates starting to seek out new job opportunities. Before we switch the out of office on, here are some tips to help you wrap 2023 up so you can enjoy a well-earned break.

Delegation: Share the load with the team or an external resource to help clear the to do list so that you can mark everything off.

Done over perfect: Having something done is better than perfect at this time of year, it is important to have a clean slate to work from next year so don’t get too bogged down in the details.

Say no: If you don’t have the capacity to have any more meetings in the remaining workdays it is ok to say no and schedule something for the new year. A fresh mind to tackle the meeting in 2024 may lead to more productive meeting outcomes.

Communicate: Let your clients and suppliers know when you will be on leave, when the office will be closed and re-opened along with advising of emergency contact details over the shutdown period.

Clean: A clear out of your desk, draws, inbox, deleted items, text messages, emails you are subscribed to, the office stationery and fridge – the list goes on. Start 2024 fresh!

Switch off: When you finally put your out of office on, ensure that you enjoy some downtime to relax and unwind. Turn your phone and emails off to have a clean break from work for a few days.