We’re all tired, right? Like, so tired? Like, all we want to do is lie under a blanket eating chocolate and watch The Holiday tired? We call it festive burnout.
After all, it’s December. It’s been a long year and we’re almost at the end. We’re at peak tiredness now, but at least it will be Christmas soon. If we can just get through these last few weeks of December, we’ll be ok. At least, that’s what we like to tell ourselves.
Although we like to imagine that the festive period will offer the relief and relaxation we need after a busy year, in reality, the holiday period can often be even more stressful than our regular lives. Making festive burnout even worse, there’s the added stress of buying gifts, visiting family, decorating the house, planning Christmas dinner — the list goes on and on. So, by the time Christmas is over, we often return to work feeling more exhausted than ever. Queue the burnout panic.
But don’t fear — festive burnout doesn’t have to be quite so awful. We spoke to Dr Becky Spelman, psychologist and founder at Private Therapy Clinic to find out what we can do about it.
Let’s face it — December is exhausting
By December, we are all tired. Not only is work often ramped up as the year comes to a close, the pressure of the holidays can take its toll. December can find us taking on countless annoying extra tasks, from running around looking for last-minute gifts to deep-cleaning the house for guests to planning our Christmas meals.
“The winter season often involves more social activities, shopping and travel, which can disrupt regular routines and lead to fatigue,” says Spelman. “The end of the year is often busy with work deadlines and completing tasks before the new year. Combined with colder weather and less daylight, these factors can definitely increase tiredness.”
The toll of all of the festive socialising
One of the things that can often tip us over the burn out edge in December? All the socialising. There are Christmas parties, family gatherings, office get togethers — the list goes on and on and on. Before you know it, your month is full of social events. Sure, they all seem fun — but so many can quickly take it’s toll.
“It is a privilege and something to be massively grateful for to have a diary packed with festive activities with family, friends and work colleagues over the next few weeks,” says Dee Johnson, an addictions therapist at the Priory Hospital in Chelmsford. “However, while on the surface this may not seem to have any negative connotations, there is always another side to the holiday season.”
Then there’s the fact that turning down invitations can feel next to impossible. “The inability to say no (these things often feel like a great idea in the moment!), not wanting to let people down, a fear of being misjudged as ‘boring’ or not a team player can make it hard to decline the numerous invitations,” she says. ”There can also be real feelings of guilt when so many people suffer terribly with isolation and loneliness.”