The last few weeks of the year are meant to represent an opportunity to reflect and recharge. In December, we look back on the events of 2025, taking a breath to dissect what went wrong, celebrate what went right and make plans for what we want to carry with us into 2026. Unfortunately, too many of us find ourselves limping across the proverbial finish line at the end of the year, so exhausted that reflection gives way to stagnation and lethargy.
In my industry, management consulting, this feeling can be exacerbated by Q4 project deadlines, end-of-year shutdowns or clients rushing to use up the last few dollars in their budget. Over the years, it’s something I’ve learned to manage, but it’s still challenging not to find myself caught up in every “emergency” that rears its head this time of year. While that anxious, nervous feeling is normal, a tremendous portion of the American population finds themselves more stressed toward the year’s end, which doesn’t make it healthy. Good leaders need to find ways to help their teams overcome the holiday blues, navigate through manufactured emergencies and emerge on the other side, ready for a fresh start.
Protect your “you” time
When fast-moving deadlines approach, and we find ourselves staring down the barrel of a prolonged break, it can feel tempting to throw oneself entirely at whatever last-minute problems show up. I myself have been guilty of foregoing treasured mid-day walks, or skipping my Friday afternoon planning time in favor of getting an extra meeting on the calendar or carving out an hour of “heads down” time with a deliverable.
What I’ve learned is that immediately responding to every roadblock actually makes me less productive. “Heads down” time is a waste if I’m too stressed or overworked to actually take advantage of it. My team gets less done at the beginning of a new week if I skip out on that hour or two every Friday afternoon that I use to strategize. Protecting my “me” time is essential to maintaining the mental capacity that I need to perform my best. It’s critical to maintain discipline about whatever rituals you need to get through the week, even when you’re surrounded by noise.
Whatever it is, it can probably wait
If you’re anything like me, you’re probably also guilty of massively overscheduling yourself at the end of the year. Whether it’s work or personal, many of us find ourselves with more obligations in a day than hours. When we get to that point, it’s time to start making decisions about what’s truly essential to get done and what can wait for another day.
In all likelihood, your wife, husband, children, etc., will still love you if there’s one favorite side dish missing from a holiday dinner, or if decorations go up a few days late. Similarly, at work, your team will probably still be able to meet its goals and find success if a workshop or client call slips its way into January. We get ourselves into trouble when we start treating the end of the year like some big chasm that we can’t see the other side of.
Turn down the noise
One of the biggest mistakes I think leaders can make this time of year is being a poor filter for all that loud, nervous energy radiating around us. When you get caught up in twitchy, uncomfortable stress, you project it onto your team and everyone else around you. Good leaders are aware of their own behavior, recognizing that effective stress management begins with them.
Moreover, the best leaders help their teams cut through the noise and hear what’s most important. Mitigating end-of-year stress doesn’t mean we can simply ignore everything and push it out into the first quarter. So, it’s essential for leaders to help their teams identify the true priorities within the jumbled potpourri of last-minute requests and “critical deadlines.”
We fail our teams and teammates when we become so overscheduled and overwhelmed that the proverbial filter gets clogged. Ultimately, being an effective filter for priorities and helping teams navigate end-of-year anxiety relies on leaders developing strong emotional regulation skills and putting them to good use. If you can’t manage your own stress, you tend to transfer it onto the people around you.
Opinions expressed by SmartBrief contributors are their own.
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