26 December 2025
If you are finding it hard to be productive at home or at work during the holiday season, it is time to realign your focus and explore other ways to finish the year strong. While holiday movies and social media make it seem like everyone is filled with joy, reality tells a different story. So what causes this extra stress during the holidays? So many to-dos, so little time…
There are lots of reasons to take time off work during the holiday season, but work won’t necessarily slow down. This can leave you worried about managing your workload and trying to get time off. Taking time off around the holidays to invest in your other values can help create work-life balance. Make choices that align with your values. Allow your values to guide you through tricky situations.
Struggling with expectations. Tips for finding balance:
- Prioritise the things that are most important to you, and say no to the rest.
- Set realistic expectations. The imagined “ideal” holiday rarely comes to pass. Focus instead on the people and values that matter to you.
- Plan ahead and make things easier for your future self. Watch out for holiday stress triggers. People often avoid things that are most stressful to them. While this brings relief in the short term, eventually it catches up with us and makes us more stressed.
Grief, loss and loneliness
For some, a season that was once a source of joy has become a painful reminder of what’s been lost. Death, estrangement and other types of loss may have irrevocably changed the family situation during the holidays. Activities and traditions that used to be fun may now spark painful memories. Tips to manage grief this season:
- Don’t force yourself to celebrate. It’s OK if you’re not authentically feeling the holiday spirit.
- Avoid comparing your holiday to the holidays of others who haven’t experienced a similar loss.
- Tell trusted friends and loved ones how they can support you during this season.
A season that is supposed to bring people together can feel lonely if you don’t have loved ones to celebrate with, or if you don’t celebrate the same holidays as those around you. Since so many holidays involve religious traditions, you may feel left out if you don’t share those same beliefs. Tips to manage holiday loneliness:
- Be the first to reach out. Others might also be struggling with loneliness this season, and by reaching out, you can help build a sense of community for yourself and others.
- Use technology to connect with friends and loved ones you can’t see in person.
- Reach out to a mental health care provider if your loneliness has become distressing.
You are not alone, and remember, no matter what, make sure to celebrate yourself and your efforts. You are making the best of what can be a difficult time. Practicing acceptance of what we can’t control helps us cope with negative emotions. Remember, just because you accept something doesn’t mean you have to approve of it or like it—you’re simply acknowledging reality as it is.
Ref: www.lyrahealth.com www.uasa.org.za