By Sophy Regelous , Global Head of Advisory, InnerGroup
Every year, the final stretch before the holidays arrives with a familiar combination of anticipation and pressure, and that is before the heartless December lay-offs. On paper, it looks like a simple race to the finish line. In reality, it feels more like a juggling act performed with a loud countdown clock ticking in the background.
Teams try to close out projects, finalize priorities, and many are deciding what to get done before holiday break and what should be a ‘January problem’. At the same time, personal responsibilities stack up quickly. There are schedules to coordinate, gifts to organize, events to host or attend, and endless small details that seem to multiply at this time of year. It becomes a mental inventory that grows heavier by the day.
When you hold all that in your head, it’s no surprise that the ‘most magical time of the year’ often feels like the most mentally demanding (let’s not talk about the non-Dutch response to the McDonalds Ad). And, while the work needs to get done, and the holiday logistics won’t handle themselves, it’s worth pausing long enough to recognize the toll this season can take.
So please, take a moment. Stop. Breathe. Remind yourself that the holidays feel far more joyful when your mind is calm, your energy is steady, and you feel grounded in your own skin. None of this means lowering your standards or avoiding your responsibilities. It means caring for yourself with the same commitment you bring to everything else.
A simple reset helps more than most people realize. Try box breathing: inhale for four seconds, hold for four , exhale for four , then hold again for four . Think of it as a small gift box you give yourself.
Because the truth is, managing December isn’t about powering through. It’s about applying the same lesson we hear every time we board a plane: put your own mask on first. When you do that, you think more clearly, lead more effectively, and move through the season with the steadiness others rely on.
This year, InnerGroup would like to give you the gift of space from your mental load. Everything else becomes easier to carry when you do.
