If you’ve ever tried to run a marathon after a holiday feast, you know how it feels to push when you’re already full, sluggish, strained and short of breath.

That’s exactly what most teams experience in Q4.

By the time December rolls around, the energy that fueled your team in January has shifted. Projects are closing, goals are due, and the holiday calendar is bursting with company parties, department get-togethers, gift exchanges, and “fun” events that, let’s be honest, can sometimes feel like just one more thing to manage.

For leaders, the temptation is to sprint to the finish line to “end the year strong.” But what if, instead of pushing harder, you focused on wrapping up the year wiser?

The Q4 Trap: Setting Them Up for a Slow Start Next Year

There’s an unspoken pressure leaders feel in December to hit every metric, close every loop, and make the final report sparkle. But when you drive your team to exhaustion, you’re not setting them up for a strong finish; you’re setting them up for a slow start next year.

Burnout isn’t just about workload, it’s about emotional depletion. The holidays already demand extra energy from people. Between personal obligations, travel plans and financial stress, your team’s capacity is stretched thin. 

Add year-end deadlines and mandatory festivities, and suddenly “holiday cheer” starts to feel like a chore.

A Better Way to Finish: Restore Before You Restart

Great leaders understand that momentum is built on morale. 

If you want a thriving team in January, help them exhale in December. Here’s how:

1. Replace Performance Reviews With Reflection Meetings.
   Traditional year-end reviews can feel like a scorecard. Instead, hold “reflection meetings.” Ask questions like:
   • What are you most proud of this year?
   • What challenge taught you the most?
   • What do you want to do differently next year?

These questions shift the focus from judgment to growth – and they build emotional investment.

2. Celebrate Progress, Not Just Metrics.
   You may not have hit every goal, but progress deserves recognition. Highlight small wins, breakthroughs and personal growth moments. Appreciation fuels future motivation far more than criticism ever could.
3. Simplify the Holiday Chaos.
   Company and department parties can be wonderful, but they can also feel obligatory. Give your team options:
   • Allow people to opt out without guilt.
   • Instead of a Secret Santa or White Elephant that adds another to-do and another personal expense, consider a collective volunteer or giving project. Let your team choose a local charity in Lake Nona to support. It channels the spirit of giving without the stress of shopping.
4. Model What You Preach.
   Leaders often forget they’re the thermostat for the team’s emotional climate. If you’re frantic, your team feels it. 

If you’re grounded, they relax. Set the example by setting boundaries, take time off, avoid late-night emails, and show that rest is part of leadership, not a sign of weakness.

Why This Matters More Than You Think

A rested mind creates better ideas. A grateful team collaborates more naturally. And a culture that values people over performance numbers always outpaces one that treats people like productivity machines.

Research from Harvard Business Review shows that employees who feel recognized and restored at year’s end are significantly more engaged when returning after the holidays. In other words, you don’t lose productivity by letting people rest, you multiply it.

A Leader’s Gift: Margin

Think of margin as the white space between all the text on a page. Without it, everything blurs together.

Leaders who intentionally create margin for their teams, a lighter schedule, flexible deadlines and time for gratitude make room for creativity, clarity and genuine connection.

So before you add one more meeting, one more push or one more “fun” event, ask yourself:

Is this building energy or burning it?

Wrap It Up Right

The end of the year doesn’t have to feel like a finish line collapse. It can feel like a deep breath before the next climb.

You can still close projects, celebrate success and maintain standards, just do it with humanity.

Because the best leaders don’t end the year by wringing out every last drop of energy.
They end it by refueling their team for what’s next.

So, as you finalize your reports and toast the year’s wins, remember: The strongest finish is the one that starts the next race well-rested.

And if you’d like to go deeper on this topic, tune in to Episode #58 of The Leader Fuel Podcast – where I unpack the psychology of finishing strong without burning out.

Dr. Linda Travelute is the CEO of Maximized Leaders Coaching & Training and the voice behind The Leader Fuel Podcast. She helps leaders ditch burnout, elevate their influence, and lead teams that actually want to follow them. Connect with her at MaximizedLeaders.com for more resources or catch her latest episode on Leader Fuel wherever you find your podcasts.