Silly season can bring out the best and the worst of us all. The worst often comes out when the workload is heavier than usual, deadlines are approaching fast and every spare minute is consumed with after-hours Christmas parties.



Follow these tips to help relieve the stress and pressure in the silly season ahead:

Focus on why you love your work

Rather than thinking how much better it will be when you’re on holidays, focus on what you enjoy about your work. Don’t let your first waking thought be, “I don’t want to go to work today”. Catch yourself before the negative thoughts set in.

Work equals holidays

Without the money made from working, there would be no holidays or luxuries to enjoy. Keep your head down, bum up through the busy Christmas period and in the meantime, start planning and budgeting on your next holiday.

What are your short term and long term career goals? Step back from the Christmas craziness and make sure you’re on target. Monitor your progress towards your goals and work out where your next step lies.

Don’t make the mistake of feeling obliged to go to every end-of-year shindig you get invited to. Choose the worthwhile parties and feel free to say no to the others so you can grab back some well deserved you-time.

It could be a 10 minute mediation or a quiet cup of coffee on the way to work. Make a list of the top three important things you want to achieve in the day. It could be spending more time with your family or getting that difficult email written. To look at things clearly, take the time to relax before asking yourself what needs to be done.