A Leaders Survival Guide to Christmas.

Whilst tucking into a festive nibble or lifting a glass in cheer, please spare a thought for the leaders and their teams under tremendous pressure at this time of the year. I know, 'first-world problem'. However, the stress-related exhaustion and its impact are nonetheless genuine. 

My clients arrive at their final year coaching sessions with less than a festive sparkle. Diary 'capacity' is as much a fantasy as the Grinch. Under-resourced teams are sunk further with the weight of seasonal illness. Add the pre-Christmas panic ramp-up to achieve deadlines and project completion. Then throw the pressure and expectation of the festive season into the mix, and it's not just the Christmas crackers going snap.  

Exhusasted and cheerless, many leaders are doing more with less at this time of the year. More visible than ever, more connected and 'constantly switched on'. Leaders rest less; they multitask more, and 'back to back' has become synonymous with adding value. 

If this is news, it's high time you came out of the loft with granny's tree decorations.

Today's business environment requires leaders to dig deep to achieve a magical tri-formula. Sustainable business success and employee well-being whilst satisfying the voracious appetite of clients. 

The effects of this environment are felt beyond the leaders themselves. Teams and individuals working in a leader's organisation feel things acutely. Loved ones and family often see and feel what is happening first. 

One leader described struggling to be 'fully present' with their family. Another described how their team was 'Running on fumes' during the final weeks of December. One particularly stressed senior leader explained how the thought of finding the energy to 'socialise' leading up to and culminating in Christmas day was overwhelming. 

So, what can leaders do to mitigate some of the additional pressures and stresses they face this time of year? Here are my top 'survival guide tips' to help leaders reduce some of the stress felt at Christmas and beyond.

1. Re-balance time. It will feel counterintuitive, but block out and protect time that enables you to be at your best. It can include thinking or focus time, a daily lunchtime walk, the kid's end-of-year play, or simply a hard stop at the end of each day at a reasonable time. Flexible working practices, whether formal or informal, can also be a part of your stress-busting toolkit. If you had such things in place, check that they haven't been 'eroded' over the year. If so, it's time to re-establish these. You will be a better person and leader for it.

2. Get tough on prioritisation. To-do lists can become a source of additional pressure. It's old school, but an Eisenhower matrix or similar tool can be a helpful framework to support this. Ask yourself these questions if you need help deciding whether something is important or can be re-distributed or deleted.

• Does it support the delivery of a business goal? 

• Will anyone be negatively impacted if this doesn't happen before year-end? 

• If this happens in 2024, will it be more or less important? 

3. Enlist help. Get the team around the table or partner with a trusted colleague. Walk through the remaining workload and decide what to prioritise or seek alternative options. This can relieve pressure on you and your team while reaffirming that you are 'in it together.

4. Connect with others. This time of the year can be difficult and stressful, but also fantastic for connecting and bonding with others, professionally and personally. In our increasingly disconnected lives (we are all guilty of sitting on our gadgets!), leaders can use this time to celebrate hard work and effort and share much-needed cheer.

Being a leader is a tough but fulfilling and life-changing gig. If you're interested in topics that affect leaders, like this one, let me know what they are at louise@thesparxbox.com or via the website at www.thesparxbox.com.