What If You Had the Energy to Actually Be Present This Holiday Season?

As the busyness of the season ramps up, you not only have gifts to buy, baking to do and decorating to complete, but you also have all of that stuff at your programs too!

If you aren’t careful, you’ll end up in survival mode. I know, because I did.

You know what I’m talking about when I say survival mode. It’s that place where you’re barely hanging on. You are afraid you’re going to drop the ball. I felt so overwhelmed and so behind. This left me feeling frazzled and grumpy, always run-down and sick, and constantly exhausted.
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You may be thinking, yup, that’s me too! And you may be wondering how the heck you can change this feeling in the midst of everything that’s going on? Because Lord knows, we don’t have time to take care of ourselves… or do we?

Nonprofit Leader Burnout Is at an All-Time High

​First, I need you to know that you aren’t the only one struggling.

According to YMCA WorkWell’s 2024 report, 1 in 3 Canadian nonprofit leaders are experiencing burnout often or extremely often. And if we include those burning out “sometimes”? That number jumps to 71%. That’s an alarming number of leaders experiencing burnout!
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Add to that the Christmas season and everything else you’ve got going on, and it’s no wonder you’re feeling like a bag of wet noodles with nothing left to give

When You’re Depleted, You Can’t Be Present

There were many years when I was not fond of Christmas. While raising four children and working full-time was challenging, the magnitude of “stuff” I dealt with during the holidays often put me over the top.

There were always deadlines to meet by the end of the year, sorting out how to meet client needs over the holidays, staff time off, and ensuring proper coverage. No wonder I was a basket case by the time old St. Nick had to put the presents under the tree.
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While I knew everyone was struggling to a degree, I felt alone with my struggles. I didn’t want to share my burdens with other people who seemed to be enjoying the holiday build-up. So, I suffered alone for many years.

How often do you feel isolated and alone in your leadership role?

​Do you put on a smile and power through the last few days leading up to Christmas? It doesn’t have to be this way!

​Need a gift for that special person on your team, a colleague, your sister, or maybe even yourself? Grab Character Driven Leadership for Women or Mastering Confidence, or maybe even both!

How to Manage Your Energy When You Can’t Add More Hours

We can’t change how many hours are in a day, but we can manage our energy, because it’s often our energy that’s drained.

There are four energy pots that need tending:
 Physical energy
 Emotional energy
 Mental energy
 Spiritual energy

When we’re slipping into survival mode, getting cranky, feeling that cold coming on, and getting drained, yet we’ve still got parties to attend, a team who needs us, and work to finish before the year ends, we need to put something back into those pots, and we don’t have a lot of time to do that!
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So, you need to think about what you can do in the micromoments you make. Think about 1 to 5-minute pockets where you can “fuel back up”.

A 5-Minute Self-Care Strategy for Busy Leaders

Here’s your 5-minute strategy to restore your sanity:
Step 1: Pause and ask yourself: Which energy pot is the emptiest right now? (your physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual pot?)
Step 2: What can I do in five minutes or less to put back into that pot?
Step 3: Do that thing.
That’s it.  It’s a temporary fix until you have time for a deeper charge.
But it will keep you from falling apart, burning out, and resenting Christmas.

Quick Wins for Each Energy Pot

If your physical pot is drained: Eat something nutritious. Drink water. Stretch. Go for a short walk, even around the building. Close your eyes for a moment and take a few deep breaths.

If your emotional pot is drained: Let yourself cry for a moment. Crank up a song that shifts your mood. Laugh. Sometimes it’s just sitting there and acknowledging what is, letting it be.

If your mental pot is drained: Breathe deeply. Clear the clutter in your workspace. Stop multitasking and focus on just one thing. Doodle or colour for a few minutes.
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If your spiritual pot is drained: Pray. Meditate. Listen to music. Head out into nature. Reach out to someone and connect from the heart.

Want to Go Deeper?

This quick strategy will get you through the next few days. But you also need to plug in longer and get that deep charge.

I’ve got a free webinar that will help: Stress Management for the Busy Nonprofit Leader.
Did you know that stress affects leaders differently from non-leaders? You bet it does! In this webinar, you’ll learn 3 strategies for leaders to renew and recharge.
Watch the FREE Webinar
You deserve to enjoy this season too, not just survive it 

Go make the rest of your day awesome!
Kathy
Do the inner work. It’s worth it.
P.S. If you want the end of 2026 to end differently, get this in your calendar now 

Annual Leadership Blueprint for 2026

Starting January 9, so you can make next year feel more intentional and grounded.
Tired of starting each year in survival mode?
My 3-week group coaching program, Create Your Nonprofit Leadership Blueprint, will help you

• Set goals that actually stick,
• Build sustainable habits
• Create a personalized roadmap for success.

Join me starting January 9th and make 2026 your most intentional year yet!
Learn more about creating your Blueprint here