Take a Break. If You’re Not, Read This

25 Dec

The biggest sales period of the year is behind us. Peak demand, promotions, year-end delivery, done.

For teams across the business, this creates a rare moment.

A moment where the day-to-day slows just enough to step out of Business as Usual. Not to create more work, but to finally address what’s been quietly accumulating in the background.

You can take a well-earned break.
Or, if there’s appetite to keep momentum without pressure, this is one of the most effective windows of the year to reset the backend.

Here are five ways to use that time well.

1. Review that “Long-Overdue” List, then prioritise it properly

Every team has a running list that never quite gets attention:

The software that needs reviewing or replacing
The sustainability partner or framework that’s no longer fit for purpose
The CRM, finance tool, or planning system everyone works around

This isn’t about adding more tools.
It’s about deciding what actually deserves focus next.

Shortlist. Rank by impact. Remove what won’t materially change outcomes.

Momentum comes from focus, not options.

2. Set a Practical 2026 (or at least H1) Plan

Most startups don’t land a clean annual plan, not because strategy is missing, but because delivery always comes first.

This quieter period creates space to:

Review what truly worked (not what looked busy)
Identify what stalled or created drag
Apply the 70 / 20 / 10 framework
- 70% core execution
- 20% optimisation
- 10% bets and moonshots

The goal isn’t precision.
It’s alignment and direction before the year accelerates again.

3. Take Stock of the Team, calmly and clearly

Not performance reviews.
Not restructures.

But a check against initial objectives.

Where did delivery extend beyond planned scope during peak periods?
Who consistently delivered above expectations against the objectives?
Where is delivery dependent on overtime or informal workarounds?

Bonus point for a non-biased review, focused on the annual objectives rather than simple reasoning.

4. Revisit the “Known Issues” List

Every organisation has a short list of recurring problems:

Data inconsistencies
Broken handovers
Unclear ownership
Lack of accountability

The question isn’t whether they exist, it’s whether they’ve been resolved or normalised.

If the same issues are still on the list for 2026, that’s no longer a backlog.
It’s a choice.

5. Clean Up the Backend While It’s Still Manageable

This is the least visible work, and often the most valuable.

System hygiene
Process documentation that reflects reality
Removing workarounds that have quietly become permanent

This is the window to reduce operational debt before growth, complexity, or new hires expose it.

A Final Note

This period isn’t about pushing harder or proving productivity.
It’s about creating conditions where the next phase runs cleaner, calmer, and with fewer compromises baked in.

Whether you fully switch off, or quietly reset the foundations, this period matters more than most realise.

If support is useful across any of these areas, The Ops Engine is available from January.

Onwards.

𝘈𝘵 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘌𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘙𝘰𝘰𝘮, 𝘸𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘵𝘩 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘴𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘴, 𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘢, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘪𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦, 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘨𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬.

Farah Cohen