Avoid burnout this holiday season: Tips for protecting your mental health

The Christmas holiday often becomes a whirlwind of social engagements that can leave you mentally exhausted if you’re not careful about setting boundaries. I was interviewed by Journalist Olivia Petter for The Independent newspaper, sharing advice on avoiding burnout and being overwhelmed during the holiday season.

It’s easy to overcommit yourself socially from Thanksgiving through New Year’s. It combines late nights out with winter’s natural urge to hibernate, often resulting in feeling burnt out, rundown, or catching a cold when the holidays roll around.

The holiday social calendar can feel like an endurance test. It would help if you had a clear strategy focused on self-care and mental health to prevent mental exhaustion before the celebrations even start. This is why learning to say “no” is firmly yet politely necessary.

Those who struggle to say no

Many people feel pressure this time of year to socialise more than they genuinely want to. Finding a balance between personal well-being and potentially letting people down can be challenging. Those with solid self-confidence tend to handle these social pressures without guilt.

But it’s much harder for “people pleasers” to turn down invitations. People pleasers enjoy being popular and socially in demand. However, they often have poorly defined personal boundaries compared to those prioritising their needs and self-care first.

While people pleasers intend to pace themselves, they quickly succumb to social pressure to attend another event. Learning to firmly and politely decline invitations is crucial for protecting mental health.

Practice saying no

Think of saying “no” as strengthening a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it becomes.

Start by practising with insignificant decisions – say no to another cup of coffee or a second drink at happy hour. Look for opportunities to choose “no” over “yes” whenever possible. 

Each time you say no, acknowledge it as a personal victory internally. You’re building your confidence and ability to set healthy boundaries. Before long, you’ll have an Olympic-level “no” to use for your benefit.

Check your boundaries

People who don’t maintain healthy personal boundaries struggle with impulsively saying yes to social requests without considering the consequences. This leaves them prone to burnout, exhaustion, and overspending on events.

Avoid immediately accepting any invitation. Respond: you need to check your schedule and get back to them. Or at least pause and reflect before answering. Give yourself a chance to decide if it’s truly a “yes” or if it just feels like social pressure.

Use the Marie Kondo method

Marie Kondo’s famous home decluttering method encourages holding items individually to see if they “spark joy” before keeping them. 

Imagine doing that with each social invitation – will that office party or dinner with friends truly spark joy for you? If not, politely decline by using a gentle “stuck record” technique.

Repeat, “I’d love to attend, but unfortunately, I can’t make it work.” Don’t get drawn into detailed explanations if they pressure you after initially declining. Stick to your phrase kindly but firmly. 

Save “yes” for socialising that nourishes and supports your mental health and self-care. Remember, healthy boundaries are important year-round, not just during the holidays.

My tips featured in The Independent newspaper

You can read my full contribution on holiday burnout avoidance strategies in journalist Olivia Petter’s feature here: https://bit.ly/368s8Yj

Key ideas I shared included:

• The holiday social marathon takes clear priorities and self-care to avoid mental exhaustion.
• People pleasers struggle most to balance well-being with letting others down.
• Practice saying “no,” starting with small choices to build confidence in setting boundaries.
• Use the Marie Kondo method: only say yes if the event sparks personal joy.
• Gently repeat your “no” without over-explaining if pressured after initially declining an invite.
• Save “yes” for socialising that nourishes your mental health and emotional needs.
• Healthy boundaries are crucial year-round, not just during the holidays.

The holidays come and go annually. But your health, well-being, and mental health must remain your priority to show up as your best self for others.

If you struggle to prioritise your emotional needs and find it challenging to impose healthy personal boundaries, you may benefit from help prioritising guilt-free self-care. If this sounds like you, arrange an obligation-free discovery call via the link on this page.