Since we’re fast approaching the end of 2024, I thought it might be helpful to share my activities to organize and prepare for the start of a new year.

I have an Evernote that lists all these tasks. I set a reminder on the note for 31 December, so I’ll be sure to do these things before 1 January.

Copyright Dates

I don’t always remember how to change the copyright dates for my WordPress sites. I therefore include the location on my template.

Action: Change the copyright dates on my sites, my email templates, and in a number of my articles.

• KarenCommins.com
  • Update copyright date in the footer.
  • Update copyright date in the author bio.
  • Change the date for works in the public domain in at least 7 articles enumerated in my Evernote template.
• Mailchimp
  • Change year in newsletter template heading.
  • Change newsletter template copyright date in footer.
• NarratorsRoadmap.com
  • Update copyright date in the footer.
  • In Create Your Own Path course resources, change next year in the Years heading under HathiTrust collections and Goodreads list of bestsellers to incoming year.
  • Add my new year’s Hathitrust collection of hand-curated books in the public domain (a task that runs into the first few weeks of January).

Email

I pay all of my expenses — business and personal — on separate credit cards for each purpose. The receipts arrive in email, and I need to store them for tax purposes.

Action: Create new Gmail folders for each new year’s income and expenses, and move current year folders to archives.

• I have Year Income and Year Bills Paid folders going back to 2009!
• You only need to keep 7 years of documentation for tax purposes. One of these days, I’ll probably delete the archives I no longer need.

I created Gmail filters using these instructions to automatically process the recurring receipts as they arrive, which saves me time through the year. I use Gmail, but you can set a rule or filter in any email application.

Action:  Edit Gmail filters that divert recurring receipts to current-year income and expense folders to new year’s folders.

In this example, my Gmail filter matches any message with the Subject “Receipt for your Marketplace membership fee” and puts it in my 2024 Bills Paid folder instead of my Inbox. I’ll update this rule so that these receipts next year are filed in my 2025 Bills Paid folder.

Evernote

Evernote underpins everything I do! Naturally, my year-end transition includes a few operations inside Evernote.

Action: Set up new book/audiobook notes, and change year in my notes for my newsletters.

• Create Evernotes in Frequent Use notebook for new year’s Books Read / DNF and Audiobooks Heard /DNF lists.
• Move current year’s Books Read /DNF and Audiobooks Heard /DNF lists to Books Read and Audiobooks Heard notebooks.
• Change year in newsletter templates in the Mailchimp newsletter note.

Finances

I maintain a spreadsheet workbook to track income by source, expenses, domain renewals, and more. At any given point in the year, I know my income, expenses, and profit or loss. It will also generate a table of expense categories, which I use when filling out my Schedule C on my tax return.

I’m creating a template version of it and an instructional video that will soon be available in the NarratorsRoadmap.com Videos.

Action:  Copy financial spreadsheet for new year to retain formulas, and clear cells in new file.

Graphics

AudioFile Magazine often has asked narrators to submit their last sentence recorded for the year. Even if that’s not the case, I might make a beautiful graphic of my last sentence that I can share on social media, such as this example:

Harp

In addition to writing in a journal how I spent each practice session, I also track my practice time in a spreadsheet. It helps me to keep my playing streak alive and motivates me to spend more time at my harp.

Action:  Copy harp practice spreadsheet for new year to retain formulas, and clear cells in new file.

 

I encourage you to create your own template of year-end tasks in whatever form you find most useful. It can be in a digital product like Evernote, in a physical notebook, or even a note paper clipped in your planner. You can set a reminder on your digital calendar.

The key is to make your year-end prep a system that is easy for you to find and follow each year.

Happy new year, and best wishes for your continued health, prosperity, and success in 2025!