The Q4 sprint (and how to survive it)
There’s something about Q4 that makes workplaces feel like a pressure cooker.
Budgets need to be spent. Goals need to be met. Projects suddenly marked “high priority” pile onto your desk like someone just remembered the year has an end date.
It’s easy to get swept up in the rush. To say yes to everything. To start every morning with a sense of urgency and end every evening wondering how you’ll keep this pace for three more months.
But here’s the truth: finishing strong doesn’t mean finishing exhausted.
In fact, the people who actually deliver in Q4 are often the ones who pace themselves strategically, not frantically.
Here are three tried-and-tested ways to shift your mindset in the run-up to year-end.
1. Choose impact over volume.
Look at your list. Which projects or goals, if completed well, would have the biggest business impact or visibility for you? Focus your energy there. Busy doesn’t equal valuable.
2. Protect your deep work.
The last quarter of the year is a magnet for distractions—holiday planning, last-minute meetings, “quick asks” from colleagues. Block time on your calendar like it’s an unmovable meeting with your future success.
3. Plan your recovery now.
Whether it’s a few days off in December or a lighter start in January, give yourself a finish line that includes rest. If you don’t, burnout will find you before the year is done.
The reality is, Q4 is as much about energy management as it is about hitting targets. If you burn out before the year ends, you’re not finishing strong—you’re just finishing.
So as you head into these last months, ask yourself:
What would it look like to end the year with results I’m proud of—and the energy to enjoy them?
Until next time…
Mal
Founder, The Ideas Accelerator
Helping you grow your career with strategic insight and smarter tools.