Avoiding and managing end-of-year burnout

Things commonly speed up at work as the year wraps up. Deadlines pile up, everyone’s stretched thin, and the pressure to finish strong can leave you feeling completely wiped out.

If you’ve been losing sleep just to catch up, skipping breaks, or pretending you're fine when you're not, watch out. Burnout builds quietly, often over weeks or months of pushing through.

But you don’t have to wait for a full breakdown to make changes. A few small shifts now can ease the pressure and help you finish the year with more energy and a clearer head.

Who tends to be at risk of burnout?

Burnout can affect anyone, but some people are more vulnerable than others. You might be at higher risk if:

• You’re working in a high-pressure role where expectations rarely ease up

• You feel the need to hide your stress, anxiety, or exhaustion from colleagues or your manager

• You struggle to disconnect from work outside of hours

• You’re living with a mental health condition, like depression or anxiety, and the added workplace stress is wearing you down

• You’re trying to keep everything together for your team

There’s no shame in experiencing burnout, and it’s also not uncommon. According to an independent study, nearly 80% of Australian workers say they feel burnt out, but many don’t talk about it with their manager.

How to avoid end-of-year burnout?

1. Notice the warning signs early

Burnout often starts subtly. You might begin to feel foggy, disconnected from your work, or irritated by things that wouldn’t usually bother you. The common early signs include:

• Feeling exhausted even after a full night’s sleep

• Starting the day with a sense of dread or pressure

• Struggling to focus or stay motivated

• Withdrawing from colleagues or pretending you're fine when you're not

These are cues worth listening to. Take them as a signal from your mind and body that something has to change.

2. Create boundaries that actually protect you

Boundaries are more than just blocking out calendar time. They’re about choosing where your time and energy go, especially those hours in between and after work.

Here are some boundary-setting tips you can start with:

• Be honest about what really needs to be done before the break, and what can wait

• Block out time for lunch, even if it’s just 30 minutes away from your screen

• Turn off work notifications after hours, and let people know when you’re available

If you’re a manager, modelling healthy boundaries is extremely important. You’re setting the tone for your team.

3. Ease up on early starts

If you’re waking up early just to get through your to-do list, take a moment to ask why. Are your tasks realistic, or are you constantly trying to catch up?

Starting work before sunrise might feel productive, but it often leads to poorer sleep, low energy, and scattered focus. It also makes it harder to be present for morning routines at home, like having breakfast or helping with school drop-offs.

When you begin the day rested and grounded, you’re more likely to think clearly and work efficiently. Try sticking to regular hours for a week and see how it shifts your energy.

4. Prioritise the basics: rest, food, and movement

It’s easy to skip meals, stay glued to your desk, or live on caffeine during the busier months. But when you stop looking after your body, your mind struggles too.

Make it a point to care for your needs, especially on busy days when self-care is easier to neglect. For starters, make sure to:

• Get seven to nine hours of sleep, as often as possible

• Eat real meals, not just snacks between meetings

• Move your body regularly, even if it’s just a quick walk around the block

• Stay hydrated and ease back on caffeine if it’s affecting your sleep or mood

5. Avoid masking how you feel

Many people pretend they're doing better than they are at work, often out of fear or habit. But masking - like hiding signs of stress, anxiety, or burnout - doesn’t make the problem go away. It might help you cope for a bit, but over time, it can make it harder to get the support you need.

You don’t need to share everything. A simple check-in with a trusted colleague or a short message to your manager can open up some flexibility or extra help.

If your workplace has an Employee Assistance Program, this is a good time to use it. If it doesn’t, consider starting a conversation around introducing one.

What to do if you’re already burnt out?

1. Call it what it is

If you feel completely depleted, emotionally detached, and unable to focus, there’s a good chance you’re burnt out.

This isn’t something to push through, and acknowledging the problem is necessary to start recovering and avoiding worse manifestations of your exhaustion.

2. Ease the pressure, even slightly

You may not be able to take a full break right now, but there are still ways to give yourself breathing room. You can try:

• Letting go of a low-priority task

• Asking a colleague to help with something that’s been weighing on you

• Saying no to an extra project, even if you usually say yes

• Mindfully avoiding multitasking 

• Taking a short stress leave to relax and reset

Every bit of relief counts. These small acts of self-protection help you more than you might think.

3. Reconnect with what you enjoy outside of work

Burnout can shrink your world until it feels like work is all there is. One way to gently shift out of that mindset is by returning to things that make you feel like yourself again. That might be a hobby you used to love, a weekly catch-up with a friend, or simply spending time outdoors.

You don’t need to force big changes. Start small. Even ten minutes of something enjoyable that isn’t about productivity or performance can help you reconnect with parts of yourself that get overlooked when you’re stretched too thin.

The goal isn’t to distract yourself, but to remember that you’re more than your job. Nourishing your identity outside of work builds resilience and creates moments of lightness when things feel heavy.

4. Reach out for support

Professional support isn’t just for moments of crisis. It can also help when you feel stuck, confused, or overwhelmed - and even when you’re feeling okay and you simply need support for your goals!

Speaking to a therapist or psychologist can help you make sense of what led to burnout, identify what you need, and set new patterns going forward.

If you don’t know where to start, organisations like Beyond Blue or the Black Dog Institute, as well as Talked’s free consultations, can help point you in the right direction.

Moving forward with better habits

It’s easy to fall back into old patterns. That’s why it helps to make a plan now for how you want things to feel, especially as another year comes into view.

Try setting up a few small commitments, like:

• Choose a set time to log off and protect it like any other meeting

• Schedule one “reset” day every few months, even if it’s just an afternoon off

• Bring back something enjoyable outside of work, like a hobby, a class, or time outdoors

• Start tracking how you feel each week, not just how much you get done

• If your workplace still doesn’t have proper mental health support, start a conversation about it early in the year

If you’re feeling burnt out right now, right now is also the time to stop and reassess. Pushing through might seem easier in the moment, but it only delays what needs your attention.

Start by checking in with yourself, then take one step to reduce the pressure. That might mean saying no, asking for help, or taking a proper break.

And if the weight feels too heavy to carry alone, talking with a burnout therapist can be a powerful way to work through it.