Why Must the World Stop in December??

As I age, I notice more and more the cycles of business. Not the economic cycles as reported by the various news outlets, but the holiday cycles. Work slows to a crawl, proposals needed and projects in process get milestones pushed, phonecalls/emails not returned, and getting things done with resources outside of my direct control become increasingly difficult. I certainly don't remember it being this way or this bad when I started working some thirty (ugh!) years ago. Perhaps because I was a peon then (some might argue that I still am), others were still getting stuff done.

It appears to be generally accepted that the business holiday season starts the Friday before Thanksgiving, and ends the Monday after New Years. 6+ weeks. What is everyone doing? Cyber Monday (or by the volume of packages in our mailroom) Cyber Monday-Friday, planning vacations, or using otherwise forfeited vacation days. Holiday Parties - not so much anymore. But after summer being over, and spending fall budgeting/planning for the new year, the business world (retailers excluded) take a collective breather. I use it to re-charge a bit, clear the current year out of my brain, and start thinking about what to accomplish in the new year.

Now some might say that this work slowdown also exists the week before Labor Day, Fridays in the summer, or from the Fourth of July until Labor Day. That equates to "real work" from January through June, and Sept to Mid November. 8½ Months. No wonder things are the way they are...