The busy woman's Christmas guide

Tip: ?? = cliff notes version for skim readers ??

Ah, Christmas… the time of year when you’re expected to wrap up work deadlines, buy the perfect gifts, host family dinners, and somehow still make it all look effortless. It’s the leadership Olympics: juggling, sprinting, and smiling through gritted teeth while trying not to drop the ball on any of it.

You’ve probably spent the last two months daydreaming about this break, thinking it’ll be the magical reset button for your life. Spoiler: it won’t be. Not if you treat it like another box-ticking exercise on the endless treadmill of

??rush

??serve

??collapse

??repeat

So, what’s the alternative? How can you use this break to actually recharge, reconnect, and come back stronger? Let’s dig in.

The Usual Rush: Serve, Collapse, Repeat

Do YOU Even Exist in This Break?

Let’s be honest—for most of us, the holiday season is just another exercise in being completely other-directed. We focus on everyone else: the family, the friends, the co-workers, and the in-laws who’ve learned to see us as the dependable “strong one” who’s always there for them. They rarely stop to consider that maybe, just maybe, some of this break should be about us.?

Why? Because you’ve trained them not to. So, if you’ve been feeling invisible in your own holiday, this is your reminder: you have every right to carve out time that’s unapologetically yours. They’ll survive—promise.

For many women in leadership, Christmas doesn’t feel like a break at all. It’s more like an extended episode of "Survivor," where you’re expected to cook, host, and smile through the stress while everyone else gets to relax. And let’s not forget the mental gymnastics of managing everyone’s expectations.

You’ve been conditioned to believe that your job is to make the holidays perfect for everyone else. But at what cost? It’s time to retrain those around us.

??The truth is, we teach others how to relate to (treat) us—often without even realising it.

By consistently showing up as the “strong one” or the “go-to problem solver,” we unintentionally set the expectation that we’ll always be available, always giving, always putting ourselves last. Then, we find ourselves drowning in resentment when they take this for granted.?

??The antidote? Retrain them.

Now that you know your worth, set boundaries that allow your break to actually include you. It’s not selfish; it’s self-respect. By the time the new year rolls around, you’re burnt out and resentful, not rested and recharged.

If this sounds uncomfortably familiar, for what it is: unsustainable. So, let’s talk about breaking the pattern.

Option 1: The Reflective Breath Break

Step one in reclaiming your holiday? Breathe. Literally and metaphorically. This isn’t about finding five minutes to meditate while the turkey cooks. It’s about carving out intentional time to reflect on the year that’s passed and the year ahead. And before you blow this off thinking it’s more “New Year’s resolution” fluff or “new year, new you” nonsense—let’s be real. We all know that rarely sticks, and why wait for some arbitrary date to start making meaningful changes??

??This isn’t about future promises; it’s about now. Consciously set yourself up for the journey into your break, and don’t forget to make sure everyone around you knows the rules of the game. Your game, your rules.

Ask yourself:

????What drained my energy this year, and how can I change that?

????What brought me joy, and how can I lean into it more?

????What do I actually want to achieve in 2025—and why?

????????????What do I need from my break to make all of this possible?

??This last question isn’t just about setting the tone for next year—it’s critical for the quality of your Christmas break itself. The answer to this will vary from person to person.

Some people need total downtime—absolute nothingness—to decompress and achieve the clarity the first three questions require. Others thrive with dedicated planning time that leaves them feeling prepared and grounded. Some find their joy in immersing themselves in family, while others might need a bold escape to something entirely unfamiliar (hello, jungle safari vibes!). It’s deeply personal—which is why answering this question is the key to having any Christmas break success at all.

Reflection doesn’t require a week-long retreat or a three-hour journaling session. It can be as simple as taking a solo walk or sipping your morning coffee in silence. The goal is clarity—not perfection.

Option 2: The Actual Downtime Break

Here’s a wild idea: what if you used part of your break to do absolutely nothing? And no, scrolling Instagram or half-watching Netflix while answering work emails doesn’t count.

We’re talking real downtime. Think:

????Sleeping in with no alarms.

????Reading a book purely for pleasure.

????Taking a nap just because you can.

????Staring out the window and letting your mind wander.

????Floating in the pool in the sun with no 'human' alarm to stop immersing in your drifting.

Here’s the truth—downtime is productive. It gives your brain the space to reset and your body the chance to recover. And if you’re worried about “wasting time,” let’s reframe that: rest isn’t a waste. It’s a necessity.

Often, it’s when we do so much nothing that we begin to feel restless and edgy. This is the level of nothing that can actually bring awareness, because it pushes you past the “keep busy to avoid” space in your mind. Inside that restlessness are lightbulb moments—those sparks of insight that can translate into positive and powerful shifts in how you show up and operate moving forward.?

??If you pushed yourself to a whole new level of “doing nothing” and stayed in it instead of leaping into some random distracting action, what might you learn about you that you’ve been hiding from? And how could that become your “newness” through your break and into 2025?

Option 3: The Felt Connection Break

Christmas often comes with a side of obligatory interactions. From awkward office parties to forced family gatherings, it’s easy to feel like you’re connecting… without actually feeling connected.

??This also tends to be all about connecting to others with little time or importance placed on feeling connection to yourself. While the first adds value to your life (for some people, haha), the second is also of great value—although mostly underrated.

??This year, try shifting your focus to felt connection—the kind that nourishes your soul instead of draining your energy. Prioritise meaningful moments with people who truly matter, and don't forget that you are one of your people:

????Call a friend you haven’t seen in forever for an unhurried coffee date.

????Sit with your partner and talk about something other than work or kids - or don't talk at all - just be.

????Spend quality time with your kids doing something fun—and screen-free - or just napping slumber party style on the loungeroom floor watching movies.

????Float in the pool in the sun with no 'human' alarm to stop immersing in your drifting (repeated for good reason).

Connection doesn’t have to mean hosting a picture-perfect dinner or spending hours on small talk. Sometimes, it’s as simple as sharing a laugh or a quiet moment with someone you care about.

Do Your Traditions Need a Shake-Up?

Holiday traditions can be lovely - they feel stabilising, consistent, familiar… but they can also be downright exhausting, limiting, suffocating. If your traditions feel more like a chore than a joy, it might be time to reevaluate.

Ask yourself:

????Am I doing this because I love it, or because it’s expected?

????Does this tradition add to my holiday experience, or does it drain me?

????What would happen if I let this go—or replaced it with something more meaningful?

????????????What new tradition can I create that will serve me year after year?

????????????What new tradition that I create might serve (re-train) others year after year?

For example, if cooking a five-course feast leaves you frazzled, why not simplify? Order in, delegate, or make it a potluck. Traditions should serve you, not the other way around.

As leaders in our work world, we can also be leaders in our family world by being innovative about our traditions. Why not influence others toward a more wholesome and healthy approach to the Christmas break period?

??We have the power to create new traditions and make them "the new way" moving forward—allowing everyone we love to engage in a more regenerating break for a more successful re-engagement with the new year.?

??Remember, your kids continue your traditions. You quite literally have the ability to lead the next generation to a more health-promoting way of being.

Coming Back to the Boardroom with Clarity and Grace

The ultimate goal of the holiday break?

??To remember you—who you are, what you value, and where you are headed. From this center point, everything else can be solved and addressed. When you reconnect with your core, you’ll find that clarity flows, decisions come easier, and priorities align naturally.

Then, the second goal is to come back to work feeling clear, confident, and ready to lead with grace—not dragging yourself back to the boardroom feeling like you need a holiday, relieved to have something to distract yourself with, overwhelmed that another year of treadmill running is ahead.

Here’s how you can set yourself up for a strong return:

????Set intentions before the break ends: decide how you want to show up in 2025.

????Write down one or two key priorities that truly matter to you.

????Make your laptop screen a slideshow of break photos that remind you of your most authentic moments.

????Keep your written reflection scrawls of how you want to show up as a secret prompt sheet in your purse—something to keep you aligned when life gets noisy.

????Plan for ease, not overwhelm: resist the urge to come back guns blazing.

????Focus on doing fewer things, but doing them exceptionally well.

????Stand by your new traditions by telling others at work how your break really was—highlighting the joyful, intentional changes you made—instead of grumbling about the usual hectic drain.

????Carry the calm forward: whatever worked for you during your break—whether it was rest, reflection, or connection—find ways to integrate it into your work-life balance moving forward.

????Choose photos from your break that represent “me as me” and add them to your desk as visual reminders of your authenticity.

????Pick a “me moment” place at work—a spot you can retreat to for a few minutes to tap back into your sense of self-connection. These small acts can anchor you, ensuring you bring your calm and clarity into the boardroom.

Final Thoughts

This Christmas, it’s time to step up and lead—not just in the boardroom, but in your break.

??You’ve got all the leadership qualities to pull this off: innovation, creativity, strategic focus, and a relentless drive for better outcomes. So why not apply them here? Use your break as the ultimate project—with you as the priority deliverable.

Ditch the rush-serve-collapse routine and rewrite the narrative. Rest, reflect, and reconnect in ways that challenge you to show up as your best self. Reimagine your traditions, set boundaries, and lead those around you to a healthier, more meaningful way of engaging with the season. Because you’re not just a leader at work—you’re a leader in life. And this holiday, it’s your moment to prove it.

So, what’s it going to be this year? A half-hearted shuffle through the same old treadmill or a bold stride into something new?

The choice is yours. Own it. You’re worth it.

??Hi, I'm Cherie!

♀? I'm an integrative leadership development therapist helping women leaders discover their ???? ?? ???? version.

??Want to know where to start? visit The Corporate Rebel.