Reader —

The holiday season brings a unique set of challenges to your usual energy patterns.

Between personal obligations, end-of-year business demands, and the general festive atmosphere, December rarely follows your typical workflow. This is exactly why understanding your energy patterns becomes even more critical during this time.

Many business owners make the mistake of trying to maintain their usual pace in December while adding holiday commitments on top. This is a recipe for burnout. Instead, let's look at this through the lens of values-based alignment.

First, acknowledge that December is different. Your energy will likely be pulled in new directions, and that's okay. Rather than fighting against this reality or feeling guilty about it, adjust your expectations to account for it:

• Understand your seasonal constraints. Map out your known commitments — both personal and professional — first. These become your fixed points.
• Be realistic about your capacity. You probably can't maintain the same workload as other months. That's not a failure; it's just context.
• Prioritize ruthlessly. What absolutely must get done before the year ends? What can wait until January? Remember, everything isn't equally important.
• Honor your natural rhythms. If events exhaust you, don’t plan important tasks after them. Instead, schedule time for rest. The opposite is also true. If events leave you with a high, plan some productive time afterward.

The key is to work with the season rather than against it. If December always leaves you exhausted and behind, it's time for a different approach.

Our team’s last working day of the year is Dec. 20. If you’d like to discuss how to adjust your expectations of yourself and your business this month, reach out before then.

To your success!

Gwen