Are you just getting through this month?
It was a stressful time.
Our biggest client was at the end of their fiscal year. We didn’t know if they were extending, or if we would be scrambling to find new assignments for dozens of consultants.
We were in our fourth quarter, under pressure to close the year strong and hit our metrics, and deep in planning for the next fiscal year. Much of our leadership was deep in planning meetings, or preparing for planning meetings.
And we deep in a round of feedback on our staff, in preparation for an off-cycle round of promotions.
Everyone was saying, “we just need to get through this month.”
Have you ever felt that way?
We often feel this even more acutely in December, when…
Unfinished yearly goals are staring us in the face.
The new year is almost here, taunting us with unset resolutions.
Gifts need to be selected, acquired, and wrapped.
Family obligations need to be endured (does this song resonate?).
Travel needs to be planned.
The house needs to be decorated.
And all of this with the juggling of PTO schedules and realistically only 15 working days in the month.
Even those of us with strong planning and prioritization skills find ourselves overwhelmed this time of year.
If you’re feeling this way, perhaps these three reminders might be helpful:
Just because it was important when you added it to your to do list doesn’t mean it’s still important to do RIGHT NOW.
Are you finding yourself under pressure to check something off the list, even if it’s not something you’d put on the list today? Often, as we’re closing out the year, we stress ourselves out because we haven’t yet achieved the goal or finished the project we set out for ourselves at the beginning of the year. Does that “to do” still have the same relevance now that it did before? Would a different timeline or even a different expectation make more sense now?
Traditions don’t need to be set in stone.
Perhaps you’re feeling the pressure to do all of the end of year things you’ve always done - the team building event, the annual summary, or the holiday party. If there are traditions that aren’t serving you, could you reimagine them to better support your goals and capacity in this season?
There are often multiple paths to achieving the same goal.
If a goal or activity is feeling daunting or overwhelming right now, is there another way you might achieve your objective? Perhaps you could outsource some of the work, cut or delay a component that isn’t as relevant, or confirm the value hoped for before continuing.
If you find yourself “just needing to get through” the things on your plate, rather than being able to eagerly anticipate or savor your experiences, perhaps it would help to consider whether your “to dos” are still the right ones, reconsider what traditions no longer serve you, and get creative in how you achieve your goals.
How are you making sure you are enjoying this season, rather than just “getting through it”? Will you share your best tips with me?
December 4, 2025
About the author:
Christina Von Stroh is a leadership coach who helps her clients become wildly successful by applying iterative software development practices to achieve their dreams. Want to work with Christina to help you iterate towards the person you’re becoming?
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