I have a mishmash of thoughts to share before we all take well-earned holiday breaks.

There are memes that go around this time of year, encouraging you to ask if you really need to send that email now, or if it’s more a next-year email instead. I get that. People don’t always want tons of work or work stress dumped on them before their holiday breaks. That makes sense.

But sometimes we cause work stress by inaction. Sometimes, you put people’s minds at ease by sharing, by sending the email, by giving the information. If you’re the boss — or frankly, if you’re simply the sender — it’s your job to craft a workplace (or an email) that makes clear no immediate response is needed; you’re just sharing the info you can, while it’s top of mind for you, so that the other person has it.

I don't know exactly where this post is going, by the way. I have three or four disparate thoughts in my head to share. But as you know, my feeling is just start writing, and let the thing sort itself out.

It’s been more than a month since I published here last, because it’s my site and I can choose to wait for inspiration to strike. But I knew I didn’t want to end the year with a post from early November as the last thing here. Hence, this post.

There are some things in life — and work — that we don’t decide for ourselves. The parts we do control, however, we should relish that special power: You get to make the choices that work for you. In this case, I get to decide when I write here, and what I write here, and even how much I proofread. You, too, have agency in your work, even if there are other bosses/managers to report to. Make the decisions that work for you.

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It’s also really important to make decisions that don’t keep you up at night. I’m writing this post on Substack. Substack monetizes Nazis. It’s more nuanced than that, but it is also that, and that’s a problem. I feel bad publishing here. I’m working on migrating to another platform. It takes time, but should be done soon — but that could mean early January. I’m writing it here because I know some folks object to the fact that I (or anyone!) use Substack, and I hear and even share that concern, but moving isn’t as easy as flipping a switch. But again, I make the rules, so I get to announce that I’m moving, even though I haven’t moved yet.

If it’s at all possible, I of course encourage you to take time off during your break. Unplug, if you can, by all means — if that works for you. Some of us (I could be looking in the mirror as I write this) get too stressed out if we let our inboxes and other feeds go unmanaged. I’d rather take fifteen minutes to triage each day and come back to less chaos; your mileage (or kilometerage) may vary. That’s okay. Be kind to yourself, and find the approach that works for you.

Really, though. Don’t be shy about emailing over the holidays, so long as you’re not using that email as a tool to say look how hardworking I am! If your frame is “I wanted to share this while I was thinking about it, but please note you can read and reply come January 2,” you’re in good shape.

Happy everything.