By Cory Sekine-Pettite
On this page in the Nov/Dec 2025 issue, I wrote about burnout and the fact that I was taking a long vacation for the first time in years. Well, since returning from that trip, I spent the last two months of 2025 producing multiple publications here at New South Publishing (Yes, I am the editor for multiple magazines.). While I did come back refreshed and energized, I realized around the holidays that I no longer had much energy and all I wanted to do was sleep. Basically, I slept through what most Americans consider the most important and fun holidays of the year.
And it occurred to me, this happens nearly every year. Typically, I keep my nose to the grindstone for 12 months and spend the last few days of each year just plain exhausted. I decided to see if this is a common phenomenon, and sure enough there’s a term for it: end-of-year fatigue. Doctors say this feeling isn’t unusual. Physicians with the South African Federation for Mental Health liken it to running a race, where the most difficult part of any race is always the last part — going towards the finishing line. They say end-of-year fatigue is normal if you have been putting your best foot forward all year. So, to combat it, the Federation offers the following suggestions:
1. Try take regular time off — It is important to take regular time off during the year and to make sure you allow yourself sufficient time to recharge and rest so that you never get to the point of burnout.
2. Make sure you get enough sleep — Getting good sleep can help improve your physical and mental well-being. Try and go to sleep early and aim for a healthy sleep cycle of at least seven hours per day.
3. Maintain a healthy lifestyle — Getting regular exercise is not only good for our physical health, but also our mental health. Also, eating a balanced diet can help ensure that your body is well-nourished and able to perform at its best. Most essential is to stay hydrated as this maintains various biological processes.
5. Seek professional assistance when needed — If you are feeling extreme levels of fatigue, and nothing you do seems to be helping, it is essential that you consider getting help from a medical professional.
Yes, these are all useful, important tips. It may be difficult — but not impossible — for me to follow them. I’ll do my best! Will you?
