Crisp, ornate and decorative describe the beautifully hand-tied ribbon that sits on top of that perfectly wrapped gift under the Christmas tree. I don’t know whether it’s the holiday season or simply that it’s the end of the year, but each time I hand tie that wired ribbon into its cheerful loop and perky tail, it reminds me of putting those finishing touches on my project and wrapping it up into a neat package so it’s ready to be delivered to its rightful owner. But before you can gift it and put it under the tree, there’s more than just dotting your “i’s” and crossing your “t’s” required to successfully close out your project. As the duteous project manager that you are, you’ve already taken care of the administrative tasks: packaging the assets, documenting and archiving your deliverables, and resolving any financial and contractual matters. But have you considered the human side of project management when you close out a project? Here are four rituals you’ll want to include as part of your closeout checklist if you haven’t done so already.

Closing the loop. One of the most rewarding experiences within project management is completing a project and delivering the final asset to the customer. The look in your customer’s eyes and that gratifying smile is enough to tell you that it was a job well done. As fulfilling as it is for you to hear that the job is completed to your liking, it’s also essential to close the loop with your team, stakeholders and anyone else that played a part in your project, including contractors and vendors. A simple phone call or email response to acknowledge that they’ve completed the task or the customer received the final asset goes a long way and doesn’t leave anyone on the project team hanging or questioning their role and the status of a project.

Taking a moment to decompress. If you’re not scrambling to meet that last deadline, then chances are you’re getting ready to dive into that next project head first. For your mental sanity (and for your team’s), take some time to decompress from your last project. The accumulated stress that comes with managing projects, people, resources costs and milestones can be overwhelming at times which is a direct hit to your energy level. Take a moment or two for yourself. Go read a book, work out at the gym, take a class or treat yourself to some frozen yogurt. You deserve it. Chances are you’ll come back to your next project more energized, relaxed and focused having cleared your head.

Setting aside some time for lessons learned. This step is probably the most critical and oftentimes gets overlooked. Busy schedules, no time on the calendar and the unnerving thought of pointing the finger make the lessons learned meeting, also known as the “post mortem” or “retrospective,” one of the least favorite meetings. How can one of the least favorite meetings be one of the most valuable? As important as it is to successfully complete a project, it’s just as important or even more so to determine what worked and what didn’t work. Don’t come into these meetings with the mindset of pointing fingers or blaming others for what could have made this project run more smoothly. The project is completed and you’re ramping up for your next one. Come in with an open mindset and prepare a targeted agenda to facilitate the flow of the meeting. Integrating “we” versus “you” into your vocabulary will help set the tone and send the message across that is collaborative effort and “we’re in this together.” If you can envision the outcome of this meeting and have each person walk away with just one key learning then you’ve gained value and input for your next project.

Saying thank you. You might not be able to celebrate all the wins, but you can start with thank you. When was the last time you said thank you? Thank you for joining that meeting, thank you taking those meeting minutes, thank you for doing the competitive analysis, thank you for helping me research my project, thank you for listening and thank you for being a part of the team. Just. Plain. Thank You. Feeling appreciated, valued and acknowledged for your role and contribution to the team and project should not go unnoticed. Taking a moment to recognize your team for their involvement and efforts goes a long way. It’s a simple gesture that can easily be omitted in your day-to-day interaction, but when acknowledged, creates a lasting impact.

Including these four rituals into your project closeout list will not only help you successfully complete and close out on your project, but it will also create synergy for your current project team and building relationships for your future endeavors.