Before we get into the busy holiday season (I feel it breathing down my neck already!) I want to pause and talk creativity goals and realistic end-of-year planning.

It’s the middle of October, and after a busy four months I have been feeling both the need to reset, and the pressure to ramp up for the end-of-year push. The last few weeks have brought me some relief from back-to-back deadlines and client projects, and I’ve been in that strange place of exhaustion that you don’t let yourself feel when you’re busy. An exhaustion that can be almost paralyzing to overcome when thinking about the creative and business goals I still want to reach by the end of the year.

Resetting

It’s been a relief to have more breathing room, but I still have 2025 goals that I want to work towards. Trying to work on big-picture plans while running on fumes has been a frustrating and fruitless endeavor. Maybe you have felt the same way in your creative journey?

Here are some of the things I’ve been doing to give myself a reset in anticipation of a busier season ahead:

Sleep an extra hour. Whether you go to bed earlier or can sleep in a little later, our bodies tend to want more sleep as the colder months approach. I’ve been fully embracing this idea.

Learn. I’ve been giving myself the space to watch tutorials, actually read all the interesting newsletters I’ve signed up for, follow article links to new ideas, etc. It’s kind of like walking through a museum full of things that fascinate you, without a time limit.

Check off some little tasks. The bathroom drawer I’ve been meaning to clean for 4 months? Done. Go through socks to get rid of the ones with holes? Sure, let’s do it. I don’t have the energy to work on the big things, but getting some of the smaller tasks checked off is clearing headspace to eventually tackle those big ideas.

End-of-Year Goals

After your reset (you may need hours, days, or weeks!) it’s time to get realistic about what you want to accomplish by the end of the year. Now, I get it, not everyone is a goal-setting, plan-it-all-out, keep-a-list kind of person. I wasn’t for a while. But as a business owner, I have had to train myself to think this way. Without intentionally thinking about goals, numbers, data, and lists I wouldn’t be able to build a viable business.

If you’re a writer, this may look like word count goals, or sending out a certain amount of query letters. Or, if you want to self-publish, setting up a timeline for yourself. If you don’t, you may never move to the next step or reach that goal.

Think about the goals you had for the year. If you made a list in January, revisit it. If you don’t make physical lists, give yourself a quiet 20 minutes of sipping tea to think about January You.

Of those goals, check off the things you have accomplished. Look at what’s left. Is there anything you need to let go of (because priorities change), or move to next year’s goals? Get realistic about the time you have left in the year. Nothing will get done if you keep your list too big and unmanageable.

Make a new list. Maybe title it “Things I can realistically accomplish before Christmas,” or “Stuff I can do to end the year feeling proud of myself,” or something boring like “2025 revised goal list.”

I recommend writing this one down. Put it somewhere you will see every day. Maybe make a “top three” priority list, and everything else would be extra. If you want guided structure, I recommend checking out this Home Stretch Series by Ink & Volt. I get my planners from them, they’re awesome.

Do what you can to continue working towards those goals. The feeling of making progress towards something you want will do wonders for end-of-year stress.

Here are some additional ideas I want to try, or that may work for you:

Creative + Writer Reset

• Revisit your work-in-progress with fresh eyes and outline what’s left to finish. Assess your enthusiasm and if it’s time for a creative pivot.
• Organize your notes, drafts, or research materials.
• Create a new playlist or mood board that captures your current project’s tone.
• Reread your favorite book, the one that made you fall in love with stories.
• Write somethingjust for fun—a journal entry, poem, or short scene you’ll never publish.
• Refresh your creative space: tidy your desk, light a candle, or just, you know, dust.
• Try a new writing or creative prompt every morning for a week (this one doesn’t do it for me, but may work for you!)

Professional + Planning

• Update your portfolio or author website with recent work.
• Review your client or reader feedback from the year and create action items for yourself.
• Write out your top 3 unfinished goals for the year.
• Schedule a bookkeeping or admin catch-up day.
• Brainstorm some professional development goals for next year (a class, course, or conference).
• Reach out to 3 professional contacts to check in or share what you’re working on next.
• Take one intentional day off to rest before the year-end push.

Good luck! I’m off to write some lists.