5 Mindset Shifts to Combat Festive Stress at Work

The festive season is meant to feel warm and joyful, a moment to pause, celebrate and close the year with a sense of pride.

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But for many people, it is also one of the most pressured and emotionally loaded periods of the year. Workload peaks, deadlines tighten, extra responsibilities creep in, and schedules start to shift. On top of this, there is the unspoken expectation that everything must be wrapped up neatly before the break.

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It is no surprise that festive stress at work builds long before the holidays begin.

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The latest HSE statistics show that 914,000 workers experienced work-related stress, depression or anxiety last year, with workload pressure, tight deadlines and lack of support among the biggest contributors. 

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Stress now accounts for almost half of all new cases of work-related ill health, resulting in more than 10 million lost workdays. As pressure naturally increases in December, this experience becomes even more pronounced.

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The HSE’s Working Minds campaign encourages employers to treat stress with the same seriousness as physical health, highlighting how early pressure points can quickly escalate if left unmanaged. December is one of those pressure points.

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This is where small mindset shifts can make a big difference in dealing with stress in the workplace. Not the unrealistic, glossy kind. The human, practical, grounded kind that helps you navigate pressure with more intention and less overwhelm.

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Here are five you can lean on to help you feel calmer, clearer and more grounded during the busiest time of the year.

How to cope with festive stress at work

1. Shift from “I need to get everything done” to “What genuinely matters today?”

A major source of festive stress is the belief that everything must be completed before the break. This pressure rarely reflects reality. It often comes from expectation, habit and a desire to end the year “clean”.

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Instead of aiming for perfection, focus on clarity.

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Ask yourself:

• What will actually move the needle today?
• What can wait?
• What can be simplified or shared?
• Where are you adding pressure that does not belong to you?

Try the “three and three” approach: three priorities for the week, three for the day. This creates direction and reduces the noise that fuels stress, especially when time feels tight.

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Mind UK notes that stress affects concentration, emotional regulation and decision-making, which makes prioritising even more important during high-pressure periods.

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Mindset to hold:
Doing the right things well is more effective than trying to do everything at once.

2. Shift from “I will just push through” to “My energy needs protecting”

The festive season compresses schedules. People feel stretched. Routine disappears. And the first thing to go is usually your own wellbeing.

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Early signs of stress in the workplace often include irritability, brain fog, difficulty concentrating and physical tension. Many people ignore these signals until they burn out.

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Instead, notice what your mind and body are telling you:

• Are you feeling tense?
• Are you re-reading the same sentence?
• Are your emotions sharper than usual?
• Is your patience lower?
• Are you skipping breaks?

These signals are not an inconvenience. They are information.

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Try small resets:

• A five-minute break between meetings
• Lunch away from your laptop
• Protect one or two evenings a week
• Reduce unnecessary calls
• Disable notifications during focus time

These pauses help regulate stress and prevent cognitive overload.

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For managers, protecting your own energy sets the tone. People mirror the behaviours they see, not the boundaries they hear. When you show that recovery matters, your team feels permission to do the same.

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Mindset to hold:
Your energy is your greatest asset - treat it like one.

3. Shift from “I need to reply now” to “I can respond with intention”

When workload and stress increase, reactivity becomes the default. It feels easier to respond quickly than to slow down, especially when everyone around you is working at pace.

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But urgency often creates more pressure.

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A small pause helps you shift from reacting to responding. Even a breath creates space between stimulus and response.

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Try:

• “I will come back to you shortly”
• “Let me think about this properly”
• “Can we revisit this after lunch?”
• “I want to give you a thoughtful answer, so I will reply soon”

These short phrases protect your thinking, especially when the day feels full.

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Stress peaks when workload, uncertainty and emotional pressure intersect, which makes thoughtful communication even more important during busy periods. A pause is not avoidance. It is a leadership skill, even when you are only leading yourself.

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Mindset to hold:
A slower response is often the stronger one.

4. Shift from “Why is this happening?” to “What can I control right now?”

When pressure builds, people often focus on what is going wrong or what feels out of their hands. This fuels stress and creates spiralling thoughts.

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Instead, return to what is within your control:

• The clarity of your communication
• How you organise your workload
• The expectations you set
• The boundaries you choose
• How you pace your day
• Your tone in conversations
• Asking for support when you need it

The Working Minds campaign emphasises the importance of looking at demands, control and support as essential factors in managing work-related stress. These factors matter even more in December when personal and professional demands collide.

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When you focus on what you can influence, the pressure becomes more manageable and far less consuming.

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Mindset to hold:
You do not have to control everything. Just the part that belongs to you.

5. Shift from “I will sort it in January” to “A small reset now will help me later”

Avoiding tasks creates pressure. Pressure becomes noise. Noise becomes stress.

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People often push tasks into January because they are overwhelmed. But the mental load of unfinished work follows you into the holiday season and makes the return in January much harder.

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Small resets now reduce that load:

• Clear your desk at the end of the week
• Close open inbox loops
• Block focus time
• Review what genuinely needs to happen before the break
• Remove anything that is self-imposed pressure
• Be clear with people about when they can expect a response

These resets do not require much time. They are small acts of care for your future self.

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Mindset to hold:
Tiny resets today make January feel lighter.

A deeper wrap-up: supporting yourself during festive pressure

Festive stress is rarely about one thing. It is a combination of:

• Workload
• Emotional demands
• Family expectations
• Financial pressure
• Reduced daylight
• Social commitments
• Limited recovery time

The Working Minds framework encourages early intervention and awareness, recognising that psychological load can escalate quickly when left unacknowledged.

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Mind UK also highlights how stress affects how we think, feel, and behave, which is why boundaries, self-awareness and rest are essential when pressure increases.

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This is not about perfection or performing your way through December. It is about staying connected to yourself so you can move through the month with more clarity, calm and steadiness.

If festive stress is already showing up for you…

You are not behind. You are not failing. You are human.

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These mindset shifts help reduce stress in real, practical ways that honour your energy and support your wellbeing during a naturally pressured season.

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If you want extra tools or would like support for yourself or your organisation, we are always here to help.

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Explore more articles on how to deal with stress at work in our blog, or get in touch if you would like support for yourself, your team or your business

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