The Case for Not Locking In

It’s October, so in business, that means the year is pretty much over (cue the “let’s circle back on this next year” emails). It’s the season when many companies attempt to push through as many projects and deliverables as possible, trying to power through despite teams being burned out and lacking the resources to succeed.

But what if there was a different way? What if, instead of letting the end of the year mantra be “power through” we just let it be?

Western culture, White Supremacy Culture, and capitalism dictate that we must be improving and producing more at all times. Anything not always trending upward is deemed a failure, and scale, quantity and the bottom line are the most important values. While there may always be a new shiny accomplishment to tout, this approach overlooks one critical element: people.

Between a government shutdown, an unsustainable cost of living, and political and humanitarian crises all teaming up at the same time, there are few who are untouched by the times we’re living in. And for women of color in particular, who are often the breadwinners of their home, leading teams, and are disproportionately impacted by the current unemployment crisis, this time especially hits hard.

‘Finishing strong’ and ‘locking in’ for the rest of the year aren’t the encouraging mantras we think they are, especially when teams are already stretched to the brink. Instead of doubling down on this harmful approach, organizations truly looking to build equity and dismantle oppressive practices can try the following instead:

1. Use the Year-End to Reflect and Plan

While you know best what absolutely must be accomplished before the year ends, have you strategically mapped out what’s priority and what isn’t? Where is your organization creating urgency where it doesn’t have to be?

Circling back in the new year isn’t lazy or a stalling tactic — it’s a strategic practice that shows you are in tune with your team’s true needs, resources, and priorities. Using the last few months of the year to identify gaps in your systems, assess what’s working and what’s not, and realign on your organization’s values sets you up for a stronger, more intentional start in the new year.

Rest is not a disruption to productivity — it drives it.

2. Prioritize Humanity Over Hustle

Women of color are not tired because they lack motivation. It’s because they’ve been doing too much with too little for too long. Pushing people harder in the final stretch of the year doesn’t inspire excellence; it breeds resentment and burnout. And in a time where many companies (particularly in the nonprofit and public sectors, who’ve been impacted by federal budget cuts) are having to make hard decisions with less resources, teams are stretched beyond their limits.

What if “finishing strong” looked like closing out the year with gratitude and grace instead of exhaustion? What if you created space for reflection, honest conversation, and restoration? Ask your team what would make the final quarter feel humane and supportive, then listen and adjust.

3. Redefine Success

Success doesn’t only look like bigger budgets and longer to-do lists. It also looks like deeper alignment, stronger culture, and renewed purpose. If your organization ends the year with a team that feels seen, valued, and rested, that’s not a “slow” quarter. It’s a win.

It’s time to stop measuring progress by how much we can produce and start measuring it by how well we sustain ourselves and each other.

The end of the year doesn’t have to be a sprint. It can be a reset and a collective exhale. Glorifying exhaustion is what burns people out, causes illness, and breeds fear in an organization. There is a different way, and that begins with building workspaces that honor the full humanity of those who keep them running.

At ShiftED Consulting, we help women of color leaders and their organizations challenge grind culture, redefine success, and create systems rooted in liberation and care, not urgency and depletion.

If you’re ready to end the year with intention instead of exhaustion, schedule a consultation with me to reimagine what leadership can look like when it’s authentic and rooted in equity.

The real power move isn’t “locking in.” It’s letting go.