Rebuilding Season

December hits different.

The leftovers are gone… unless you’re like me and cook enough to feed an army so I can take a vacation from cooking for a week. Your inbox isn’t terribly full. And your team is moving like they’ve been dipped in mashed potatoes. Honestly? You probably are too.

This time of year tends to blur. No one remembers what day it is. People show up, but the spark’s not quite there. They’re tired. You’re tired. And it’s not exactly burnout in the dramatic sense, it’s a low hum. A fog. The kind that makes everything feel just a little heavier than it should.

Those processes that didn’t work before the break? They feel even worse when you come back, don’t they? The friction gets louder. The inefficiencies grate faster. That system you’ve been tolerating? It feels unbearable now. Because the moment you step away and breathe, even just a little you remember what clarity feels like. Now that you’re back, all the duct-taped nonsense screams at you.

You’re not just feeling tired or adjusting from naps on the couch or overindulgence. You’re noticing what’s broken. You’re noticing what you’ve been powering through without question. And your team? They feel it too.

That’s why December matters. Don’t think about it. Don’t speak of doubt? Hardly.

It’s not a time to double down and squeeze out one last push. It’s the time to reflect. To question. To rebuild.

Look at your team. Who’s coasting because they’re checked out? Who’s lagging because they’ve been quietly carrying too much? Who’s still showing up, but clearly not showing up?

Look at your systems. What’s inefficient on a good day and unlivable after a break? What are you still manually doing because no one had time to fix it? What’s long overdue for a reset?

Reflection isn’t a luxury. It’s maintenance.

So take stock. Be honest. Don’t force the pace just because the calendar says you’re supposed to finish strong. Strength doesn’t come from white-knuckling your way into the new year. It comes from finally building something that doesn’t require white knuckles to keep standing.

You’ve got three weeks before the world goes dark again for the holidays.

Use them wisely.