Finish the year without burning out
How to get to the holidays without using up all your energy
Now that Halloween is over, it feels like the end of the year is sneaking up super fast.
If you’re already feeling stretched, these final few months, with the need to tie up work projects, sort out personal tasks and the additional social events, can push you right to the edge.
Here are a few things to try now, so you don’t end up starting the new year already tired.
Five ways to head into the holidays with energy left to enjoy them
⭐️ 1. You don’t have to finish everything
There’s this invisible pressure to wrap everything up neatly before December 31 — as if the world resets at midnight and anything unfinished will cause some kind of time warp.
It won’t.
Some things can wait until January. In fact, you might handle them better then — with a clearer head and a little distance. When you are making to-do lists over the next few weeks, ask whether it really needs to be done right now.
⭐️ 2. Focus on what actually matters
It’s easy to get caught in “busywork” mode at this time of year. Instead of trying to do it all, pick your Top Three each week — the three things that’ll make the biggest difference to how you end the year.
⭐️ 3. Take small, real breaks
Even five minutes of genuine pause can stop the spiral.
Step outside. Stretch your shoulders. Close your eyes and take three long breaths before your next call.
Write in your journal to get your thoughts on paper.
Take some time in nature to reset.
Tiny resets add up. Think of them as charging your brain battery before it hits 1%.
⭐️ 4. Protect your boundaries
December has a funny way of filling itself. “Just one more project.” “Just one more catch-up.” But “just one more” can quickly become ten.
If someone asks you to take something on at work and you truly don’t have capacity, don’t be afraid to say no or ask if you can revisit it in the new year. Similarly, you don’t have to attend every social event you get invited to. Protect your space.
⭐️ 5. Don’t forget to celebrate
Before you leap into goal-setting for next year, pause and look back.
What did you manage this year? What challenged you, changed you, or taught you something new?
Write a quick list and celebrate, even if it is small wins.
You deserve to arrive at the holidays awake, not wiped out! So take a breath, close a few tabs, and remind yourself: it’s okay to slow down now.