Simple Ways to Stay Motivated and Push Through the End-of-Year Slump

The end of the year is finally in sight, but there is still so much to get done. Emails are still streaming into your inbox, clients are calling with last-minute requests, and your vacation can’t come soon enough.

Know that if you’re feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, and ready to throw in the towel, you’re not alone. Your body and brain have their limits, so when you’ve been engaged and busy all year long, it’s only natural to eventually feel irritable and demotivated.

To help you out, we’ve put together a few tips that will make it a little easier to get to everything on your to-do list before we ring in a new year.

Motivational Tactics to Beat End-of-Year Blues

1. Identify the Causes.

Start by acknowledging that you’re hitting a wall. Next, explore the factors that might be contributing to the slump and the feelings that come with it. Perhaps you’re seeing all those holiday decorations and you’re realizing that you’re running out of time to get everything done. Perhaps it’s the change of season. Once you know what’s getting you down and stressed, you can start working on ways to overcome them.

For example, if you feel like you’re running out of time to get to everything on your to-do list, create a new schedule for yourself, one that prioritizes your most important tasks. You can also be stricter with when you start working and when you switch your laptop off, giving your mind a breather when you’re already feeling overworked. Making time to take a walk outside when the weather allows for it will also help shift your mindset.

2. Reflect on the Positives.

Before you decide that you didn’t achieve your goals this year, write down the things that you did accomplish. What are some of the positive highlights of the year so far? You will soon realize that you actually did get a lot done and that there’s a lot to be grateful for. Doing this exercise will also give you a starting point for setting your goals for the new year.

3. Be Good to Your Body.

Your body needs some extra support during this time. Find ways to fuel your body with the right food, drink plenty of water, and consider increasing your intake of vitamins, particularly vitamin B12 as it is known to increase energy and mental focus.

4. Declutter Your Space.

If you work from home, take some time to declutter your space. It’s amazing what a difference this can make to your mindset, giving you the added motivation you need to get through to your last working day of the year. Even adding a new plant to your workspace can completely shift the energy.

5. Get Some Rest.

When you’re already feeling exhausted, pushing yourself to the brink every week just to get more stuff done is not going to help anybody. It’s important to get enough rest if you want to skip a serious slump. Instead of watching Netflix until late at night just to relax, rather find a screen-free way to unwind so that you can get a good 8 hours of sleep. You won’t regret it.

6. Get Inspired.

It’s only normal to feel a little less inspired as the year draws to a close, which is why it helps to search for some extra inspiration during this time. Download a countdown app to show you just how close you are to your vacation or holiday time with friends and family.

Plan downtime as seriously as you plan your workdays so that you always have something to look forward to at the end of each day. Try cooking a new dish with your partner, watch a movie with your best friend, or plan a mid-week trip to a Christmas market.

In Closing

The end of the year is always going to be tough, but the point is that you’ve gotten this far and with a few self-care tactics, you can easily reach the start of your vacation feeling more refreshed than burnt out.