As Christmas draws closer, the barrage of deadlines to meet, projects to complete, and social obligations to fulfil, can leave you feeling a lot like Santa after making his mad dash around the globe – totally burned out, quite dizzy, and more than a little ill from all the milk and cookies.

End-of-year burnout is very real and it’s increasingly common at Christmas time when your energy is sapped and you’re just trying to hang in there until the holidays.

What’s more, the pressure to be exuberant and joyful at this time of year, often adds to your stress levels, leaving you feeling even more drained and disconnected than ever. But there is hope.

In this article, we’re going to show you how you can use our vibrant Wildflower yearly planners to proactively control burn-out, reduce stress and overwhelm, and start enjoying life once more.

First off, let’s take a quick look at the nature of the beast…

Recognising the signs of burnout

Burnout usually develops gradually and you may not even be aware that it’s there until it’s taken hold, sapped you of your energy and left you without any means to fight back.

So, it’s vital to keep an eye out for the warning signs. It’s time to take action if you’re experiencing any of the following:

• Feeling exhausted almost all the time
• Increased cynicism and negativity
• Loss of motivation and productivity
• Difficulty concentrating and making decisions
• Changes in sleep patterns and appetite
• Frequent headaches, muscle tension or digestive issues.

Reflection & forward planning – a powerful duo in combating burnout

Aside from an abundance of tinsel, December also brings with it a unique opportunity for reflection and forward planning. You may not feel like it at first. In fact, the thought of taking time to review the past year's accomplishments and challenges may seem like just another in the long list of things you need to do at this already busy time of year. But…

Taking just 15 or even 20 minutes (perhaps before the rest of the house has woken up) to sit quietly with a cuppa and your yearly planner will go a long way to restoring your sparkle.

How your yearly planner can help with burnout

By using year planners effectively, you can…

Reduce stress and anxiety

Knowing you have a plan helps you feel less stressed out and more in control.

Boost productivity and efficiency

Using your yearly planner for time-management helps you achieve more in less time, so you don’t feel rushed off your feet all the time.

Improve focus and concentration

Planning your daily/weekly/monthly tasks in advance helps you stay focused on your priorities, reducing the overwhelm that leads to burnout.

Increase motivation and satisfaction

Achieving goals and seeing progress boosts your motivation and keeps you inspired to carry on.

Set the tone for a healthy new year

Using your yearly planner to prioritise self-care and reflection will set you up for a healthier and happier new year.

Unlocking the power of your yearly planner 

Give it a try — here’s how to use your A1 landscape yearly planner to revive your mind, body and soul.

Find a favourite spot in your home or garden, grab a pen, Wildflower yearly planner and a notebook, and spend some time in each of the following…

Reflection

1. Grab a notebook and write about your burnout. Describe the symptoms, feelings and experiences you’re having. 
2. Write also about the past year. Think about what you accomplished, what brought you joy and what challenges you faced and overcame. 
3. When you feel up to it, write about the tough times. Examine your thoughts and emotions. This helps you identify patterns, strengths, and areas for improvement.
4. Turn to your A1 landscape yearly plannerand thoughtfully reflect on important dates coming up next year. Perhaps there are milestone anniversaries and birthdays to celebrate, or “first time without you” events to mark. Whether good, sorrowful or challenging, enter them into your A2 portrait yearly plannerand write notes about how you plan to approach each of them in your notebook. For example, you might want to ramp up your self-care practices around difficult dates or plan rewards for when you achieve your milestones.

Taming your to-do list

1. Use your yearly planner to bring structure into your days, allocating time for work, leisure, self-care and other important activities.
2. Start by making lists and mind mapping your tasks and projects in a notebook. This will help you to keep track of and organise time spent on your proposed projects. 
3. By organising your tasks ahead of time, you’ll be able to see early on whether or not you’re taking on too much and need to reduce your commitments to prevent burnout.
4. Try techniques such as the Eisenhower Matrixor the ABC methodto prioritise tasks effectively.
5. Forward planning and reflecting in this way helps you to identify the most important tasks and focus on them first. 
6. Now turn to your Wildflower yearly planner and allocate specific time slots for each task in your day/week/month.

Plan for self-care

1. Make a point of prioritising activities that promote your physical and mental wellbeing.
2. You can combat burnout proactively by using your yearly planner to mindfully schedule downtime. Block out days or weekends in your planner for time to rest and recharge. 
3. This will ensure that you take time to rest, relax and reward yourself, rather than simply scurrying from one task to another.

Goal setting

1. Think about where you’d like to be this time next year. Write a few passages in your notebook about this and what goals you’ll need to set to get there. 
2. Make sure that these goals are clear and achievable. 
3. Break them down into bite-sized chunks with due dates and rewards attached.
4. Enter the relevant milestones and deadlines for your personal and professional goals into your A2 portrait yearly planner. 
5. This will give you a bird’s eye view of the year ahead and help you to feel on top of it all.

Self care

1. Remember to schedule time for self-care activities, such as meditation, nature walks, hobbies, surfing or whatever brings you joy, in your A1 landscape yearly planner.
2. This will help you cope throughout the year and can go a long way to reduce burnout at the end of next year. 

Gratitude

1. In between counting the number of heads at your Christmas party, the presents you still need to buy, and the hours of work left to do, take a moment to catch your breath and count your blessings.
2. Crack open a notebook (these pocket-sized notebooks are great for this!) and write down three things you’re gratefulfor each day. It’s a familiar panacea, but no less effective for its being touted by many.
3. While you’re at it, grab your yearly planner and block out time to focus on gratitude throughout the coming year.

Vision boarding

1. Time to have a little fun! Grab your A4 notebook, some old magazines, a pair of scissors, some coloured pens and a glue-stick and create visual representations of your desires and aspirations.
2. Taking time out to indulge your creativity in this way will restore your soul and the vision board you create will inspire and motivate you.
3. On your A2 portrait yearly planner, stick smaller images next to important dates that relate to your vision board, so you have a colourful and inspiring crossover.

Review and adjust

1. Regularly revisit your Wildflower yearly planner, reflect on your progress, and adjust your plans as needed.

Don’t put off taking care of you!

Remember, your well-being is not a luxury, it's a necessity. So, treat yourself to one of our wonderful Wildflower yearly planners and start feeling better today. 

Painted by Jenica Smith, the founder of Notely herself, the beautiful floral designs on our A2 Portrait 2024 Wall Planners and the A1 Landscape 2024 Wall Planners will cheer your heart and inspire your creative spirit. Let the kaleidoscope of colours carry you out of burnout into a world of self-discovery, healing, and a deeper connection to nature.

Feel good about your choices with our sustainable stationery

Our notebooks, sketchbooks, yearly planners and journals are environmentally friendly and sustainable. All our products use post-consumer and commercial waste, including FSC-certified recycled paper and card stock made from discarded coffee cups. 

Need one more reason to feel good? By purchasing Notely stationery, you’ll be helping us to reach our goal of replanting 100,000 trees by 2025. One tree is planted for every order, and every three orders protect an extra two square metres of native rainforest.