Why High Performers Hit Their Lowest Points in December (And How to Finish Strong)
Why High Performers Hit Their Lowest Points in December (And How to Finish Strong)
December exposes gaps that stay hidden the rest of the year. Fatigue meets deadlines. Expectations collide with reality. The pressure to “finish strong” mixes with the pressure to be present with family.
High performers often hit an emotional or productivity dip. And that’s normal!
Why It Happens:
Cognitive fatigue: You’ve made thousands of decisions all year.
Identity pressure: You want to end the year proving something to yourself.
Comparison: Year-end numbers, achievements, and promotions get shared everywhere.
Overcommitment: You try to do everything for work and everything for home.
How to Finish Strong Without Burning Out:
1. Set a two-week sprint goal
Choose one meaningful outcome to complete before year-end. Not seven. One.
2. Protect your mornings
The afternoon disappears quickly in December.
Front-load your day with the work that matters most.
3. Create “holiday boundaries”
You can be present without disappearing.
You can work without being consumed.
Define your off-hours and stick to them.
4. Don’t chase perfection. Chase closure.
In my view, unfinished tasks actually carry more stress than heavy workloads. Close those loops now.
Make this December about clarity, boundaries, and finishing the right things, not about heroics.
Helping you Thrive,
Judy
Founder, Selby Strategies
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