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resending kasi I forgot to put a subject line, lol

Yo WFUN Nation!

As I reflect back to the start of this year, I realize that 2024 hit me like a bag of bricks pala. 

Sakit sa ulo. 

In what felt like a blur, we:

changed houses to be nearer my son’s school...

suffered from the fumes of the new paint in the house… 

spent several days in a hotel to avoid said fumes...

went through a post-holiday haze from too many parties... 

even as I scrambled to catch up on the mountain of tasks that were somehow left hanging back in December 2023…

Grabe. I felt sooo drained na agad, and it wasn't even seven days into the year. My son Julian even got sick right in the middle of those days.

No way that “New Year New You” is happening kung marami tayong unfinished business keeping us held back pa din, no matter how loud we shout it. BS yan.

Kung di nga naman natin linisin at ayusin ang kalat before we finish one cycle, we’ll simply return to that same shit. Different day nga lang. 

Year in, Year out. Then we wonder why we're going nowhere fast.

And that brings us to the subject of Chuday’s email. 

How to wrap up our work before the year ends.

Here are 5 quick steps to make sure you’re stepping into the next year na walang bitbit na stress.  

1. Clear Your Inbox and Fix Your Digital Files

Do you have a bloated inbox? Probably. And yes, it doesn’t help that I also write long-ass emails, haha. I'm one of the reasons your inbox is full. The irony isn’t lost on me. 

But the truth still remains. Having a wild, bloated inbox will only slow your year down. Slow down.

Just the idea of coming back to your bursting inbox with thousands of emails all asking for attention is enough to give me a migraine. 

So please, parang awa mo na. Schedule a time to implement this.

Kahit few minutes lang to:  

- Archive emails that don’t matter anymore. 

- Reply to the ones na important.  

- Create labels then archive so you no longer visually see them. 

- Unsubscribe from everyone but the main people you want to see in your inbox. Easier said than done, but really almost 98% of your emails are coming from marketers like me, and you probably just forgot to unsubscribe lang, but you’re tolerating them in your inbox simply because of the clicks needed just to unsubscribe.

That also applies to me. If you feel you're not getting value na, you are free to leave this list by clicking the unsubscribe button at the bottom of this email.  

Use tools like unroll.me to do easy mass unsubs.  

Marikondohin mo na emails mo and you’ll thank yourself later. Lots of ways to organize our email but here’s one of my favorites, and it's only 10 minutes long! 

2. Tie Up Those Loose Ends 

I cannot overstate how wonderful it feels na walang nang open circuits for your brain to worry about. As humans, we’re wired to want to know what happens in a story.

We feel really awful if things are left hanging, and this is the same with our work left open-ended. That unease is our brains unconsciously using energy to worry about it. 

So here’s what you can do.

As you take a quick inventory of your projects, ask yourself these questions:  

- Ano dito ang pwede mong tapusin now?  

- Ano ang pwedeng ipasa sa ibang tao? (delegate mo na) 

- Ano ang pwedeng i-pause until next year?  

After doing that, make sure to give clients, customers, or colleagues updates before they chase you. Say when you’ll be back kung may kulang ka pa na deliverables. Most people also want to take a break, so they’ll be more than happy to agree. 

Most importantly, set your Out-of-Office message up. Most freelancers actually don’t bother to do this, and it annoys the heck out of people. Kung ayaw mo to be left hanging, don’t do the same to others. 

What’s better than silent night? 

A Silent Inbox na walang notifs. (unless payments or wire transfers lol) Nothing beats a silent inbox while you’re being fully present with your loved ones during the holidays.

3. Reflect on Wins and Challenges. 

Simply pause and ask yourself:  

- Ano ang mga nagawa kong maayos this year?  

- Saan ako pumalpak and what lesson can I extract from it?  

Action Step: List down 3 wins you’re proud of and 1 major lesson learned. Gratitude and reflections. Knowing these will help you keep focus for 2025.  

4. Declutter Your Workspace  

Whether it’s your desk or your desktop, clutter will slow you down.  

- Throw out old notes, and store your receipts separately.  

- Dispose of papers you don’t need (or stack them neatly na muna, kasi aminin minsan hindi tayo ready mag-let go).  

- Organize your go-to tools so you’re ready to roll in January. 

Speaking of tools, salamat pala for indulging me on the black friday tools I shared last week. Thanks for the trust. I sincerely hope you utilize those tools fully.   

5. Say Thanks to Your People  

Whether it’s your team, your clients, or even your favorite barista—magpasalamat ka naman! A simple email or handwritten note can go a long way in showing how grateful we are.  

Bonus tip: Be specific! Instead of “thanks,” try “I really liked the way you handled X—it made a huge difference.” I also make it a point to tip the waste management team, landscapers, security guards, cleaning ladies, admin and crew in our village. It helps make the year go so much smoother, not to mention it feels great. 

Extra bonus tip: Buying thick socks in bulk for people (you can get them cheap sa Lazada or Shopee kung by the dozen haha) makes them really cheerful to you the whole year round. Ang sarap kasi ng feeling ng bagong medyas, lalo na if it’s cold or wet outside.

So join me as I wrap things up early. I already feel so much lighter heading into the holidays.  

Remember, productivity isn’t about loading more tasks onto your plate. It’s about making room for the things that truly matter.  

Cheers to a productive December and a stress-free January! 🎉  

The Year-End Party Boy,  

Shoden

🎉 Pst. Don't Keep Me A Secret. I know you liked this email, so Refer this newsletter to your freelancer friends na gedemet! (kung naisahan ka dun sa mga pranks ko in some of my emails and gusto mo ng kadamay, share mo na!)

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☠️ Too many emails from me? I totally understand the need to declutter your inbox. Haha ako nga nagsabi na mag-declutter ka e. I hope my tips have helped you work smarter as a freelancer. No hard feelings. Just click below (may maliit na link dyan na kulay grey).