Sarah Di Lorenzo: How to beat December burnout in time for Christmas

The end of the year can be the most draining.

All you have to do is ask the person next to you how they are feeling and the chances are you will get responses like “crawling to the finish line” or “just exhausted, feeling so burnt out” or “there is nothing left in the tank”.

Yet it’s the time of year we are supposed to feel festive, joyous and relaxed.

Added to our normal day to day life are the work deadlines, Christmas parties, end of school wrap up, parent teacher interviews, awards nights and the added pressure of getting the last-minute secret Santa gift you forgot or planning to travel.

Burnout is actually recognised by the World Health Organisation as an occupational phenomenon, burn out is a state of physical, mental and emotional exhaustion caused by too much stress or demands over a period of time.

Research shows that 42 per cent of employees see December as the most stressful month.

Interestingly it’s burnout prompting us to set our new year’s goals such as getting fitter, losing weight or getting a new job.

The real red flags to look out for are feeling detached, negative about your work, feeling depressed and insomnia.

The prefrontal cortex is where decision-making and memory take place and is impacted by ongoing stress, leading to burnout.

Solutions start with finding a balance between relaxing and celebrating as well as making self care a priority.

Some other great tips include setting yourself realistic expectations, just don’t think you can do everything.

Pick what brings you the most happiness and avoid events that don’t, also think about your Christmas preparations, does it really matter if things are not wrapped well?

Let go of perfectionism.

Learning to say no is a form of self care and something you should embrace and be proud to do.

This no can’t be an “I can’t” it needs to be “I won’t”.

This response is very different, one is leaving you open for something to challenge you to change your mind and the other is definitive.

Something I really believe in and do myself is to plan ahead.

Get your calendar for the month and then focus on it week by week.

Review your plans the Sunday before and make sure you are factoring in rest time, relaxation, early nights as well.

Don’t be shy to delegate and speak up to family and friends especially if it is things such as decorating, cooking or organising activities, this very act of sharing is team work and remembering asking for help makes you a better person and avoid feeling resentful.

Consider simplifying your Christmas, look at quality over quantity when it comes to gift giving.

This will save time and is more thoughtful.

When it comes to your health, staying physically active is essential.

Exercise makes you not only feel better, puts you in a good mood but keeps you on track with your goals.

When it comes to sleep, make sure you are getting enough, ideally seven to eight hours a night.

When people are feeling burnt out exercise goes out the window due to low energy and feeling run down but exercise is really medicine for this!

Even consider a 20 minute walk, just do something daily.

Most of all think about being present and embracing this time of year.

Take time for reflecting and being grateful and try to look at things from a different perspective when stressed.

Mindset is everything.

Breathing exercises can also make a big difference when feeling overwhelmed with a racing mind.

Breath in for four counts then breath out for eight counts. While breathing, think about what you are grateful for. Breathing reduces anxiety and will help you reset.

Remember this time of year is about connecting, celebrating and joy. But putting these tips into place you can enjoy this time without the burnout.