Surviving the Holiday Hustle: A Promotion, Burnout, and a serious case of FOMO

The holiday season was supposed to be a time of joy, right? Sparkling lights, cozy nights by the fire, maybe even a little festive nightcap. But for me, it was more like a symphony of stress, punctuated by the cheerful jingles of Christmas carols that only served to mock my current state of burnout.

You see, I had recently been praised for my work ethic and performance, and handed a "promotion" of sorts. Woohoo, right? In theory, yes. But the reality was, my heart sank when I heard the words, as the dread of more work just felt like I'd been handed a grenade exploding before the new year. My inbox was already overflowing, meetings were back-to-back, and the pressure to "prove myself" was mostly suffocating.

To make matters worse, it felt like the entire world was on vacation. My colleagues' out of office messages reminded me of the good times and relaxation they were experiencing, while I was buried under a mountain of spreadsheets and presentations to execute. In my mind, I should have been enjoying this time of year, taking time off, soaking up the festive cheer. Instead, I was glued to my desk, fueled by caffeine with complete apathy and exhaustion.

Escaping the work grind for some festivities!

Don't get me wrong, I knew I was lucky to have these work opportunities. But it felt like everything was happening at once. The holidays, the new role, the constant pressure to perform. It was a recipe for burnout, and I was starting to feel the cracks.

Reflecting on this period, and not to be dramatic, but I have concluded that it really was the worst holiday period I had ever experienced. You see, I love Christmas, the festivities, the novelty food and drinks the time of year brings, and there is no denying my love of holiday party season! But this year, I didn't get to experience such things. I got an immense sense of FOMO and it got me down.

My takeaway? I set goals for 2025 to set more boundaries with work, set clearer expectations, and take the time away to enjoy the things that make me happy. This year, the holiday season will bring back the joy I love about that time of year - I will make sure of it one gingerbread man at a time!