If you work remotely, manage a hybrid team, or run a small business from a coworking space, you know how fast a year can fly by. One week you’re settling into a routine…the next you’re wondering how it’s already December. That’s why year-end business planning isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s a strategic reset that helps you go into the new year with clarity instead of chaos.
Whether you're wrapping up projects at your Burbity Workspaces desk, juggling hybrid schedules, or leading a team spread across multiple ZIP codes, this guide will walk you through practical ways to close the year strong and start the next one even stronger.
Why Is Year-End Planning Important?
Year-end planning helps you:
- Reflect on what worked (and what didn’t).
- Make financial decisions with clarity rather than guesswork.
- Clean up digital clutter and workflows that slowed you down.
- Re-evaluate your goals, processes, and team needs.
- Build momentum instead of starting the new year from scratch.
It’s your chance to look at the big picture, catch minor issues before they snowball, and set yourself up for success — whether that’s hitting business goals, getting organized, or finding a better work-life balance.
15 Year-End Planning Tips for Remote and Hybrid Teams
1. Review Your Big Wins and Challenges
Start with a simple question: What actually moved the needle this year?
Take 30 minutes to list accomplishments, challenges, and things you want to improve. This sets the stage for more thoughtful planning.
2. Revisit Your Business Goals
Were your last year goals realistic? Did priorities shift?
Update your goals for the coming year based on what you now know. Reflect on what you hoped would happen back in January.
3. Max Out Any Business or Retirement Accounts (If Applicable)
Borrowing from Ameriprise Financial’s high-ranking advice: if you’re a freelancer or business owner with an SEP IRA, solo 401(k), or traditional IRA, check your contribution levels. Year-end can be a good time to add more and reduce your taxable income (talk to your tax professional, of course).
4. Clean Up Your Digital Life
Remote workers often live in their inboxes, cloud drives, and project management tools.
Use year-end planning to:
- Organize your desktop
- Archive old projects
- Update password managers
- Unsubscribe from the 87 tools you no longer use
Digital clutter equals mental clutter.
5. Evaluate Your Workspace Setup
Ask yourself: Is my setup helping me or hurting me?
If you’ve outgrown your home office or you spent half the year working from your kitchen table, joining a coworking space can help you create structure, routine, and boundaries.
Many remote workers join Burbity Workspaces in December or January because they've realized:
- They need fewer distractions
- They collaborate better in a professional setting
- They want professional meeting rooms for clients or team check-ins
- They need a healthier separation between work and home
Year-end is the perfect time to review what space you really need to thrive.
6. Review Your Schedule and Time Habits
Which days and times were you most productive?
Which tasks drained your energy?
Use that information to set boundaries or establish a more balanced hybrid schedule.
7. Organize Your Finances
This includes:
- Updating records
- Categorizing expenses
- Reviewing subscriptions
- Preparing for tax season
Even if you outsource bookkeeping, reviewing everything yourself ensures nothing slips through the cracks.
Are You Evaluating Your Workspace Set Up?
Burbity Workspaces has multiple locations with office space & meeting rooms, to help grow your small business!
8. Celebrate Team Wins
Recognition helps build a strong culture, especially when your team is remote or hybrid.
Send handwritten thank-you notes, host a virtual employee appreciation meeting, or grab a meeting room at Burbity for an in-person celebration.
9. Review Your Tools and Tech
Do you really need all the software you’re paying for?
Are there better options?
Has your team been using workarounds all year?
Year-end planning is the perfect time to declutter your tech stack.
10. Refresh Your Brand and Online Presence
Great for freelancers and small businesses:
- Update your website
- Refresh your LinkedIn profile
- Collect new testimonials
- Refresh your portfolio
- Replace outdated headshots
A coworking space makes this easy if you need a professional setting to record videos or take photos.
11. Check in On Your Well-Being
Year-end planning isn’t just business. Use this time to check in on your mental health, as well.
Ask yourself:
- Am I burnt out?
- Am I working too many hours?
- Do I feel connected to my team?
- Do I have enough work/life boundaries?
A coworking space can help reduce isolation and restore balance, something fully remote workers often don’t realize they’re missing.
12. Refresh Your Professional Development Goals
Think about:
- Courses you want to take
- Certifications to pursue
- Skills you want to improve
- Networking groups you want to join
And yes, many people use coworking communities precisely for this reason: to make business connections.
13. Plan for Growth (Even Small Growth)
Whether you’re a team of one or leading a hybrid team, this is the moment to think about:
- Scaling
- Hiring
- Outsourcing
- Improving processes
- Upgrading systems
Small improvements now save vast amounts of time later.
14. Make Space (Literally)
Clear your desk.
Recycle old papers.
Declutter your workspace.
Set up the new year with physical space for new ideas.
15. Build Your Year-End Planning Checklist
Wrap everything together by creating a simple checklist with deadlines.
This becomes your roadmap for December and your compass for January.
Why Year-End Planning Helps You Start Strong
Year-end planning gives your business clarity. It helps hybrid teams reset, remote workers reorganize, and small businesses refocus. When you pause, evaluate, and plan, you stop reacting and start leading your workload with intention.
And if you need a change of scenery, more structure, or a productive environment where great ideas (and great teams) can grow, Burbity Workspaces in Spokane is here to support your next season of success.
