REWORK

The End of Year Junk Drawer

Dec 11, 2024

As the year wraps up, the co-founders explore the unique, unstructured time that allows for tackling lingering projects and creative thinking. They discuss the benefits of a relaxed December atmosphere, which fosters reflection and ideation. The emphasis is on collaborative problem-solving and bug fixes without the usual pressure. This transitional period is viewed as a meaningful shift into the new year, rather than just a fresh start, allowing for clarity and excitement about future endeavors.

18:40

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Quick takeaways

The end-of-year 'junk drawer' period allows teams to engage in informal work, addressing lingering issues and fostering creativity.

Viewing the year-end as a transitional phase encourages planning and innovation, setting the stage for a productive start to the new year.

Deep dives

Embracing Unstructured Time at Year-End

The end of the year presents an opportunity for teams to engage in unstructured, informal work, often referred to as a 'junk drawer’ period. This time allows employees to tackle lingering projects or fix minor issues that accumulated over the year, often referred to as a bug smash. During this phase, teams can focus on clean-up tasks that may not fit into the rigid six-week work cycles they typically follow. By using this time effectively, they can enter the new year with a fresh start, ensuring they are prepared for a productive first quarter.

Intro

2min

Embracing Year-End Rhythms and Fresh Starts

4min

Embracing Informality in December's Work Cycle

3min

End-of-Year Reflection and Creative Exploration

4min

Embracing Change and Clutter Management at Year End

6min

As the year winds down, 37signals’ co-founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson join host Kimberly Rhodes to talk about the company's end-of-year routine. They explain their process for the last few weeks of the year that aren't part of a formal six-week cycle, and they share what they gain from this transitional period of "wandering."

Key Takeaways:

00:43 – The informal end of year process
05:24 – Self-directed work, bug fixes, and tying up loose ends
08:22 – Using the downtime for forward thinking and planning
12:43 – Viewing the year end as a shift to the next chapter rather than a fresh start

Links and Resources:

30-day free trial of HEY

Books by 37signals

HEY World | HEY

The REWORK podcast

The Rework Podcast on YouTube

The 37signals Dev Blog

37signals on YouTube

@37signals on X