For many organizations in the helping professions, the holiday season is a time of both celebration and challenge. Staff carry the weight of their work alongside the emotional complexities that come with the season: the holiday blues—feelings of sadness or loneliness that can surface for many—and the holiday distractions—the pull of festivities, family obligations, and personal downtime. These challenges impact focus, morale, and the ability to serve effectively.
Leaders have a choice. They can let this time become a slow unraveling of productivity and energy, or they can approach it with intention—honoring both their team’s need for rest and their organization’s mission. It starts with a simple truth: If people are at work, let them be at work. If they’re off, let them be off. This clarity doesn’t just support staff well-being; it honors the resources and purpose that drive us all.
The Weight of Holiday Blues
The holiday blues are an emotional reality for many. For some staff, this season can be a time of grief—a reminder of loved ones lost or connections that feel broken. For others, the holiday blues surface as loneliness, unmet expectations, or the pressure to appear joyful when they don’t feel that way. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), nearly two-thirds of people with mental health struggles report that the holidays make their symptoms worse.
For helping professionals, the impact of the holiday blues can be magnified. Staff are often caring for others during what is supposed to be a “happy” time, yet they may not have space to care for themselves. Unaddressed, these emotional weights sap focus, energy, and morale, leaving even the most dedicated team members feeling drained.
Acknowledging this truth creates space for compassion. Leaders can validate staff experiences, offer mental health resources, and encourage open conversations about the challenges of this season. This sends a clear message: It’s okay not to be okay, and we’re here to support you.
The Pull of Holiday Distractions
While some staff face emotional burdens, others are grappling with holiday distractions. Between gift shopping, family gatherings, and endless to-do lists, this season can feel like a whirlwind of competing priorities. The mental energy spent on personal obligations often bleeds into work hours, leaving staff physically present but mentally checked out.
Holiday distractions don’t just impact productivity; they dilute focus and diminish the quality of work. Small tasks that would normally take minutes stretch into hours. Team members may feel stretched thin, juggling both professional expectations and personal demands.
As leaders, the goal is not to eliminate these distractions—because life happens—but to help staff find clarity and balance. Clear expectations allow them to prioritize work when they are at work, and to step away fully when they are off. By offering flexibility, setting boundaries, and reinforcing the importance of presence, leaders can turn distractions into opportunities for focus and meaningful engagement.
Be at Work, or Be Off: Why Clarity Matters
Here’s the reality: If staff are scheduled to work during the holiday season, they need to be at work—not just physically but mentally, emotionally, and intentionally. Half-hearted presence benefits no one. It leads to mistakes, missed opportunities, and a subtle erosion of energy and morale.
Conversely, if staff are off, let them be off—fully. True rest requires a clean break. When leaders allow staff to completely step away without guilt, they create space for recovery and renewal, ensuring that team members return refreshed, not resentful. This clarity—be at work or be off—may sound simple, but its impact is profound:
It honors your mission: Every moment of work during this time is an investment in the organization’s purpose. Helping professionals do vital work, and distractions dilute that impact. Clear expectations ensure that time is spent intentionally.
It honors your resources: Human resources are finite. Protecting staff well-being and energy during the holidays ensures they’re ready to deliver their best when it matters most. Half-measures—working while distracted or taking time off but “checking in”—waste resources without delivering real results.
It builds trust and respect: When leaders set clear boundaries and expectations, staff feel seen and valued. They trust that their time and energy are respected, whether they’re working or resting.
Supporting Staff Through the Holiday Season
As a leader, you set the tone. Creating an environment where staff feel both supported and accountable starts with a few intentional steps: 1. Set Clear Expectations
Make it clear that when staff are working, they’re expected to be fully present and engaged. If they’re off, they should disconnect entirely—no checking emails, no “just a quick call.” Clarity removes ambiguity and gives people permission to show up fully in whichever space they’re in.
Example: “If you’re here during the week between Christmas and New Year’s, let’s commit to being all in. Use this time to close out important tasks, connect meaningfully with clients or colleagues, and set the stage for the new year. If you’re off, I want you to unplug completely—rest, recharge, and come back refreshed.”
2. Create Space for Well-Being
The holiday blues are real, and staff need opportunities to process and manage their emotional well-being. As a leader, you can acknowledge this by:
Providing mental health resources, like Employee Assistance Programs or wellness check-ins.
Encouraging conversations about stress and emotions, without stigma.
Building flexibility into schedules where possible, allowing staff to balance professional and personal obligations.
When you make space for mental health, you send a powerful message: “Your well-being matters as much as the work you do.” 3. Focus on Meaningful Work
During quieter periods, encourage staff to tackle work that feels purposeful and fulfilling. The holidays are a great time for reflection and preparation. Ask:
What small wins can we achieve before the year ends?
How can we set ourselves up for success in the new year?
Avoid busywork. Instead, focus on meaningful, mission-aligned tasks that energize staff and remind them why their work matters. 4. Lead by Example
Leadership isn’t just about what you say—it’s about what you do. If you’re asking staff to be fully engaged at work, show up with the same energy and focus. If you’re encouraging them to take time off, take time off yourself. Your actions set the standard for the team.
Balancing Accountability and Compassion
Holding staff accountable during the holiday season isn’t about demanding perfection; it’s about creating an environment where people can do their best work without burning out. It’s about balancing the need for productivity with the understanding that staff are human beings navigating a complex season. Compassionate accountability means:
Setting clear, realistic expectations.
Providing support and resources to help staff succeed.
Recognizing when someone is struggling and offering solutions, not judgment.
This approach doesn’t just benefit individual staff members—it strengthens the team as a whole. Mission First, People Always
The holiday season is an opportunity for leaders to reaffirm what matters most: the mission you serve and the people who make it possible. By helping your team overcome holiday blues and holiday distractions, you’re doing more than improving productivity—you’re creating a culture of clarity, trust, and care.
Let your staff know: If they’re at work, they have your full support to focus, engage, and make an impact. If they’re off, they have your permission to fully rest and recharge. This is how we honor our mission. This is how we steward our resources. This is how we lead with intention.
Because when your team feels supported—when they know their time, energy, and well-being are valued—they’ll show up with the focus, heart, and commitment needed to carry your mission forward into the new year.
Master Trainer, International Speaker and author of the book “Invincible Social Worker”, Anthony President has empowered and inspired more than 100,000 professionals to perform, produce and partner better at their places of work. Thousands of companies and organizations have been transformed as a result of Anthony’s work.
As Founder and CEO of Presidential Consultants, LLC, Anthony leads a team of more than two dozen experienced learning development and coaching professionals who together serve more than 16,000 helping professionals each year in the areas of leadership, inclusion, and workplace wellness. As a thought leader in the field, Anthony continues to research, innovate, and drive positive change in the realm of professional development and organizational transformation.
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