The end of the year creeps up slowly, then suddenly.

One moment, we’re in the thick of EOFY, goal setting, wrapping up client projects, and planning the next big push. And the next, it’s December, and the calendar is crammed with end-of-year functions, family commitments, last-minute deadlines, and holiday chaos. You can barely find time to think, let alone relax.

Welcome to the silly season. A time of contradiction. A time when the pressure to slow down collides head-on with the pressure to finish strong. When everyone’s talking about rest – but also asking you for “one last thing.”

I’ve been through many of these seasons, both as a business owner and as a coach guiding others through the chaos. And what I’ve learned is this:

You don’t have to lose yourself in December to feel like you’ve won the year.

But you do need to decide what winning actually looks like.

Productivity Isn’t a Full Calendar – It’s a Clear Intention

We’ve been conditioned to think of productivity as this relentless forward motion. Tasks completed. Boxes ticked. Hustle glorified. But if you’ve followed me or worked with me for any amount of time, you know that’s not how I define success.

To me, productivity – especially this time of year – is about clarity, not speed. It’s about choosing what matters most and being courageous enough to let the rest drop away.

That’s the part no one tells you.

It takes guts to say, No, I won’t take on that project right now.
It takes self-trust to believe that resting doesn’t mean you’re falling behind.
And it takes design – not default – to create a life where your values lead the way.

In December, the temptation is to do it all. Finalise the year’s goals. Buy the perfect gifts. Host the parties. Keep business running. Be the emotionally available friend, daughter, partner, parent, or leader. And still, somehow, end the year “better” than you started.

But we know how that story ends: in burnout, resentment, and disappointment.

So what if this year you did it differently?

How I Reclaimed the Silly Season

Let me share a moment with you.

A few years ago, I hit December in full steam. I was launching a new offer, onboarding clients, attending back-to-back events, and trying to maintain some personal presence during the holidays. I thought I was doing well – I was ticking all the boxes.

Until I wasn’t.

I remember supposedly having a “break” before my next meeting. I looked around and realised I wasn’t present at all. I was mentally calculating timelines, trying to remember if I’d RSVPed to an event, and already dreading the inbox waiting at home.

I was there, but not really.

That’s when it clicked: the end of the year had become performative. I wasn’t experiencing my life – I was managing it.

That day, I made a small but powerful decision. I rescheduled a few meetings. I let clients know I was adjusting my availability. And I gave myself permission to show up less perfectly, but more honestly.

The result? I didn’t get less done. I just got the right things done.

The Power of Intentional Imbalance

This is the philosophy I teach in all my programs: Intentional Imbalance.

It’s the idea that a perfectly balanced life isn’t the goal. In fact, it’s not even possible. What is possible is choosing your imbalance – on purpose. Shifting your focus in seasons, rather than spreading yourself thin trying to keep everything “even.”

In the silly season, that might look like:

• Pouring energy into your family and relationships while letting your email autoresponder carry some weight.
• Taking a week to go off-grid and reflect, even if the business isn’t perfectly “wrapped up.”
• Choosing a soft landing over a sprint finish.

You’re allowed to go quiet.
You’re allowed to say no.
You’re allowed to opt out of things that don’t align – even (especially) when everyone else is opting in.

This season isn’t about balance, it’s about boundaries.

My Go-To End-of-Year Productivity Framework

Every year, around this time, I come back to a framework I created for myself. It’s not complicated, but it’s powerful. It helps me stay anchored when the world starts spinning faster.

1. Ask: What really matters right now?
Not what’s urgent. Not what’s on someone else’s list. But what actually matters to you – emotionally, energetically, strategically.

2. Define what “enough” looks like.
You can’t do it all, but you can do what counts. Decide what a successful December means to you. Maybe it’s finishing a project. Maybe it’s being present at home. Maybe it’s resting. Choose your version of done.

3. Drop the guilt.
This is not the time to carry unnecessary shame about what didn’t happen this year. Guilt drains energy and clouds decision-making. Replace it with compassion and curiosity: What can I learn? What can I shift?

4. Create buffers – not just for rest, but for recovery.
Don’t just plan holidays – plan re-entry. Don’t schedule your last client call on 22 December and your first on 3 January without breathing space in between. Give your nervous system room to settle.

Rest Isn’t a Reward. It’s a Requirement.

One of the biggest myths we internalise is that rest comes after productivity. But the truth is, rest fuels productivity not just in a burnout-prevention sense, but in a creativity, clarity, and emotional capacity sense.

Some of my best insights come not at my desk, but while walking on the beach, lying on the couch, or staring at the ceiling with a slow cup of tea.

Rest doesn’t mean disengagement. It means presence. And it’s often in that space of stillness that we reconnect with the deeper why behind our work.

Redesign Your December

As you move through the next few weeks, I invite you to stop asking, “How can I fit it all in?” and start asking, What can I gently let go of?

You don’t need to prove your worth through productivity.
You don’t need to hustle your way to the holidays.
And you definitely don’t need to carry the weight of the world again just because you’re capable.

This is your permission slip to let December be different. To make choices that honour your energy, your priorities, and your design for life.

Let this be the season where enough is truly enough. Where you don’t burn out trying to “finish strong,” but instead wind down with grace, clarity, and intention.

Because you don’t have to lose in life to win in business.

And you certainly don’t have to lose yourself to make this season meaningful.