Feeling the Year-End Stress? 10 Proven Ways to Make A Stressful Time Better

    

 

 

 

 

Whatever the reason, stressful times are part of life. However, we can choose how we react to them. Sometimes, it feels like the universe is testing our patience just for fun—like when your coffee spills right before a big meeting, or your Wi-Fi decides to take a nap during a video call. At least we can laugh at the absurdity!

One option is to dwell on the situation, and let our negative emotions persist throughout the day. But this is unpleasant, and there's a good chance that our mood will spread to others. Instead, we can take the initiative and find ways to make a stressful day better. This choice is empowering and positive, and it puts us in control of our actions and emotions.

I invite you to take a few minutes to experiment with any of these ten ways to make a bad day better. Remember: if all else fails, just imagine your problems wearing silly hats. It's surprisingly effective. 😅

1. Give The Matter The Attention It Deserves. Whenever nonsense shows its face in my life I won’t spend time thinking about it or dwelling on it . . . when I'm able, I simply move on. Granted there are some things that you can’t dismiss and that’s where items 2-10 will come in handy!

2. Try To Find Humor . . . in either the event or just think about something funny to get you laughing. Can’t think of something? Why not listen to some comedy and while you’re at it, have a comedy playlist on your phone for those “Momma said there would be days like this” moments!

3. Try Doing an Activity That Requires A High Level Of Focus.  I’m a truly awful woodworker. I’m the kind of guy who will measure five times, cut once, and still screw it up most of the time. But after sitting on my tuchus in front of a computer and in Zoom meetings most of the day it’s really relaxing to do something with my hands. Plus, the required focus of doing something precise like woodworking (not to mention trying not to cut off a finger) forces me to stop thinking about work. Even if I just have an hour or less, it lowers the stress.

4. Move! Motion creates emotion because certain types of movement release endorphins which create that “runners high”. You can walk, exercise, pace, or do the Hokey Pokey as I often do in the offices of SMARTDevelopment. (What if the Hokey Pokey is really what it's all about? 😏)

5. Engage Your Spiritual GPS! Certain things are simply beyond us and we need all the help we can get.

6. Say “Thank You.” I’ll preface this one with a firm “I know how difficult it can be to do this” We’re saying thank you because we are about to receive a lesson in something. Whether it be in dealing with a Grade A Jerk or a lesson in keeping ourselves calm, cool and collated as our printers at Office Depot like to say!

7. Go through a “Gratitude Inventory.” Many of us have the bad habit of taking a “Screw You” inventory of everything that stinks in our life. A gratitude inventory gets you in into a frenzy of positivity!

8. Talk With Someone! Briefly vent. Then, shift the conversation to solutions! (See item 9)

9. Ask Yourself Problem Solving Questions Such As. In what ways can I _______________?” “How can I turn this around?” “Who do I know that could help or offer advice?” "What am I missing?" or my favorite, "What else can I/we do to solve this?...then ask it a few more times.... "And what else...?"

10. Embrace Each Problem as a Potential Opportunity. Problems are wake-up calls for creativity. If we choose to wake up and get up, problems will prompt us to use our abilities, rally our resources, and move forward. When we have the right attitude, adversity causes us to draw on and develop greater strength.  

In the wise words of Winston Churchill “If you are going through hell, keep going.” 😅

Check out two related posts.  (5 min reads)

 6 Magic Words that Will Increase Your Influence and Reduce Your Stress

Build Resilience Against Stress By Managing Your Inner Dialogue

To your greater ease and well-being,

Peter Mclees, Leadership Coach, Trainer and Performance Consultant
SMART DEVELOPMENT

Take the Next Step...
Interested in learning how to develop your organization's leadership capability, culture, and employee engagement? We begin with a collaborative discovery process identifying your unique needs and business issues. To request an interview with Peter Mclees please 

contact: Email: petercmclees@gmail.com  or  Mobile: 323-854-1713

Smart Development has an exceptional track record helping service providers, ports, energy storage, facility services & maintenance,sales teams, restaurants, stores, distribution centers, food production facilities, wealth management services,  real estate services, nonprofits, government agencies and other businesses create a strong culture, leadership bench strength, coaching skills and the teamwork necessary for growth.

Having worked with several companies throughout their growth cycle, we have valuable insights and strategies that would help any late stage startup, small or medium sized company achieve sustained growth and prosperity.

⛈ Managing The December Deluge 🌈

 

 

 

 

 

The end of the year is stressful enough without the extra pressure of last-minute requests due before New Year’s Eve. But fear not! With a dash of humor and a sprinkle of time management savvy, you can conquer the year-end chaos.

Here are four strategies to help you dodge the crunch and make it to the holiday cookies unscathed—plus bonus links with expert tips so you can execute each step like a pro: With these strategies and resources, you’ll breeze through year-end requests and keep the holiday spirit alive!

 

1.    Channel Your Inner Psychic—Be Proactive! If you feel a mysterious disturbance in the force (a.k.a. the annual pile-up of requests), don’t wait for the inevitable email titled “URGENT.” Instead, surprise your leaders by asking, “Hey, what year-end magic do you need from me?” It’s like predicting the weather, but with fewer umbrellas and more spreadsheets. Start these conversations early—your future self will thank you!

 

2.   Don’t Be Shy—Clarify, Clarify, Clarify! If someone tosses a last-minute task at you, unleash your inner detective. Ask follow-up questions like, “Could you walk me through why this needs to happen before we all turn into pumpkins at midnight?” The more you understand, the better you can tackle the request—and maybe even make your colleagues giggle along the way. Remember, confusion is the enemy of productivity (and good moods).

 Click here to read a related post: 9 Tips for Clear, Concise, and Compelling Communication

3.    Rework That To-Do List Like a Boss. It’s time to give your commitments a makeover! End-of-year madness means it’s perfectly acceptable to reshuffle meetings and deadlines. Picture yourself as a juggler—drop a few balls if you must, just don’t let your own sanity hit the floor. Communicate with your team, prioritize ruthlessly, and don’t be afraid to say, “Let’s bump this to January when our brains are refreshed and our coffee cups are full.”

Click here for a related post: How to Prioritize When Everything Feels Important

Click here for a related post: How to Say 'No" When You Don't Feel You Can Say 'No'

4.   PTO: Protect The Oasis Your vacation days are sacred. Guard them like a squirrel with the last acorn of the season! Tell your colleagues about your plans early and often, and stick to them like glitter at a New Year’s party. Taking time off isn’t just good for you—it reminds everyone else to recharge, too.

Click here for a related post: 7 Ways to Achieve a Work/Life Balance

Remember, laughter is the best stress-buster. Tackle those end-of-year requests with optimism, a sense of humor, and a determination to protect your peace. No change, no change… so be the change that gets you to January with a smile!

To your greater impact and well-being, 

Peter Mclees, Leadership Coach, Trainer and Performance Consultant
SMART DEVELOPMENT

 Take the Next Step...
Interested in learning how to develop your organization's leadership capability, culture, and employee engagement? We begin with a collaborative discovery process identifying your unique needs and business issues. To request an interview with Peter Mclees please 

contact: Email: petercmclees@gmail.com  or  Mobile: 323-854-1713

Smart Development has an exceptional track record helping service providers, ports, sales teams, restaurants, stores, distribution centers, food production facilities, wealth management services, third-party maintenance providers, real estate services, nonprofits, government agencies and other businesses create a strong culture, leadership bench strength, coaching skills and the teamwork necessary for growth.

Having worked with several companies throughout their growth cycle, we have valuable insights and strategies that would help any late stage startup, small or medium sized company achieve sustained growth and prosperity.

 

Reflections on 52-Year BEHS High School “Friendships”

  

You know, after a half-century, you’d think we’d all be experts at this friendship thing—like there should be a lifetime achievement award just for remembering everyone’s nickname and not accidentally calling someone by their dog’s name from 1973. Yet here we are, squinting at Facebook profile pictures and wondering, “Did they always have that much hair in high school, or is that just a very optimistic filter?

The Difference Between Knowing Someone and Being a True Friend

So, it’s been over fifty years since graduation, and a lot of us are still in touch through social media and the occasional gatherings. It makes you wonder—does simply knowing someone for decades make you real friends, or does friendship take more than just time?

Nostalgia can be a gentle liar; it wraps our memories in golden light and assures us that familiarity is synonymous with friendship. When we meet at reunions, infrequent meet ups or exchange the occasional holiday card, it is easy to marvel at how quickly the years seem to melt away—how swiftly an old joke or a remembered anecdote can revive the echo of laughter from days gone by.

Check out a related post: Waxing Nostalgic for Old High School Relationships Is Like Eating Cotton Candy 

Yet, upon honest reflection, it becomes clear that time alone does not guarantee a viable friendship. We may know each other’s nicknames, remember whose locker squeaked in the hallway, and recall the lyrics to the boss songs that played at our senior prom. But do we know who we have become? More importantly, have we made an effort to find out?

Real friendship changes and grows as life moves on. The people who stay close are the ones you keep having experiences with, the ones you talk to and support through all of life’s ups and downs. Just knowing each other for a long time isn’t enough—you have to put in the work and actually be there.

If you don’t reach out every so often or stay engaged, even the oldest friendships can fade. Those shared memories are a strong foundation, but without new conversations or checking in, the bond can start to drift. Little things, like texting when nothing special is happening or opening up about what’s really going on in your life, keep the connection alive. And, since people change over time, friendships might need to adjust too.

When you don’t put in the effort, those old friendships might not disappear overnight, but they can slowly become more distant. Still, it’s never too late to reconnect—sometimes, just reaching out can bring things back, even if the friendship looks a little different.

For a friendship to really work, both people have to care and put in the time. It’s about respect, empathy, and showing up. Think of it like tending a garden: if you give it attention, it grows and stays healthy.

Having friends you’ve known for years is rare, but the real value comes from what you do now and in the future. You can always choose to stay close or let things change, depending on what feels right for both of you.

Bottom line, friendships don’t just last on their own—you’ve got to make an effort. Just knowing someone isn’t the same as being a real friend. If you want to keep those meaningful connections, reaching out and staying involved is key. 

And if all else fails, you can always remind your old friends that you still remember what their hair looked like in the 70s—now that’s a bond no amount of time (or questionable fashion choices) can break!😏

Cheers,

Peter (Pete) Mclees