It isn’t just difficult family dynamics or the prospect of stretching a budget to purchase expensive gifts that can make the holiday season stressful. Workplace concerns, like not meeting all your goals, looming deadlines and burnout, can also surface at the end of the year.
According to Patricia Dixon, a licensed clinical psychologist and adjunct professor at National Louis University in Tampa, it’s normal to feel a bit overwhelmed with work stress around the holidays.
As we reflect on the past year, we may feel inclined to “focus too much on what we haven’t done” Dixon tells CNBC Make It. “And then it makes us lose sight of what we have.”
Whether you’re having a hard time unplugging or battling with feeling like you haven’t done enough, here are some tips from Dixon, and other psychologists, for successfully overcoming end-of-year stress.
Focus on your accomplishments, not your shortcomings
“Reset your perspective for more clarity and accuracy,” she says. “There might be this pile up of things that are still left to do, but look at all the things you have done that gives you a sense of accomplishment.”
For example, even if you didn’t get a promotion, your boss still gave you a raise because of your hard work and dedication to your team. And if you didn’t get your business off the ground, at least you solidified a plan and got your license or permit in preparation.
Wins, no matter how small or insignificant they may seem, are still wins, says Dixon. “If we’re focused too much on the end and not the process, we’re missing the little celebrations in between that make it a little bit easier to carry the weight.”
Listen to your mind and body
Over half (55%) of U.S. employees are feeling burned out, according to the Eagle Hill Consulting Workforce Burnout Survey, which polled over 14,000 respondents and was conducted in November.
Those employees reported that burnout negatively impacted their efficiency, job performance and creativity.
Rather than put your health on the back burner in an effort to overperform or maintain your reputation as a reliable team member, Judith Joseph, a psychiatrist and researcher who specializes in mental health and trauma, says it’s important to listen to your mind and body, and set boundaries when you need to.
“Take a pause before you say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to a task, and ask yourself if you really want to do it,” Joseph wrote for CNBC Make It in April. “Very often, there’s a small voice inside of us that realizes we’re too burned out to work all weekend.”
That’s especially true at the end of the year, when you’re in the thick of family time or trying to take a few days to yourself to recharge, adds Dixon.
‘Embrace your inner toddler’
If you’re feeling overwhelmed with work, Dixon, the author of “Embrace Your Inner Toddler: A Blueprint for Living Joyfully,” says her best advice is to live like a three year old.
There are four fundamentals to life as a toddler: play time, snack time, nap time and the “unapologetic no” — when a youngster firmly puts their foot down and has no intention of caving to their parents’ requests, Dixon explains.
In adulthood, this can look like taking a 15-minute break in between work tasks to play Sudoku or Wordle, packing your favorite energizing snack for a mid-day boost, taking a few moments for meditation or breathwork, and saying no to extra work that you don’t have the bandwidth for.
Of course, we want to take our careers seriously and finish the year strong. However, we can still find ways to enjoy our work without letting it consume us, says Dixon.
“There’s a way to take your career seriously without taking yourself too seriously,” she says. A race to climb the corporate ladder can have “detrimental effects on our mental, emotional and physical well-being. It’s about knowing when to rest and knowing what your limits are.”
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