November is a funny time of year. It’s too early to start celebrating the holidays, but the end of year is in plain sight. If you’re working, you’re probably heading into a seasonably busy or very slow few weeks. Either way, it feels entirely different than the months before.

For many software companies, it’s the final push. The last few sprints before a code freeze. The last launch before we call it a year. Thinking and planning for 2020.

The best part of this year is that it forces focus. When you only have a few weeks left in a year, priorities become evident and things are quickly shelved for later. I love this mode of quick decision making, of quiet efficiency. This is how things should always be.