12 things successful people do in the last 10 minutes of the workday

Yu Han/Business Insider

Perhaps you spend the last 10 minutes of your workday staring at the clock, counting down the seconds until you're free. Or, maybe you bury yourself in your work until the very last minute — then you grab your stuff and go without saying goodbye to your colleagues.

If either of the above scenarios sounds familiar, it may be time to reassess your end-of-day routine.

"How you finish the workday is very important," says Michael Kerr, an international business speakerand author of "The Humor Advantage." "It can set your mood for the rest of your day; it may impact your personal relationships, overall level of happiness, and how well you sleep that night; and it will set the stage for the next day."

Lynn Taylor, a national workplace expert and the author of "Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant: How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job," says the most successful people typically have a routine in which they try to mitigate tasks that will linger and deter them from being completely focused for the next morning's events — expected or unexpected. 

1. They update their to-do lists.

Successful professionals always keep an eye on their ever-changing to-do lists, Taylor explains. "But the last 10 minutes is when they also check their final progress against that day's objectives," she says. "They revise their final list accordingly while in the moment, rather than abruptly leave and hoping they'll remember all the nuances of that day in the morning."

2. They organize their desk and desktop.

Your projects take much longer to complete when you're not organized. "Having an orderly desktop and desk will help you think more clearly and prioritize more effectively. It'll also help you quickly find important documents when you need them," says Taylor. "File digital and hard copy documents for easier access and greater efficiency when you need them next."

3. They review what they achieved.

Taylor says in addition to focusing on what you still need to do, it's important to look back on what you've done.

Kerr agrees. "Taking even one minute to review what you achieved can give you a sense of accomplishment, and on a particularly trying and busy day it can remind you that you got more done than you realized," he says. "Happiness research tells us that doing a simple routine like this, and taking the time to reflect on what you accomplished, is a key way to boost your overall level of happiness."