We’ve reached the time of year when people like to remind you exactly how many sleeps there are until Christmas.

Which would be fine – I love the smell of pine and the sound of Christmas Carols – except for the fact that right now, getting through another 16 days without completely burning out feels like…a lot.

Maybe part of me will always feel a little bit gipped that in the real, grown-up world, the last two weeks of the year don’t involve re-watching Miracle on 34th Street and lazily doing Christmas crafts. School really set me up for disappointment there. Instead, it feels like there’s a sudden swell in the urgency and sheer volume of emails flying at me. We’re all gripped by a panic as we realise we need to check everything off our to-do lists before we clock off for the year. Add to that the roster of festive social events, the Christmas holiday prep, the food planning and present shopping, the wrapping up of life admin (and the wrapping up of actual gifts), and 16 sleeps feels like a completely unrealistic timeframe.

A colleague and I remarked to each other that our workload seems uncharacteristically insane lately. “That’s just Christmas”, she says, and she’s right. We collectively veer towards a wild crescendo, punctuated by a manic week of festivities, before we fall into a heap for a week or two to recover. And then, surprise surprise, it’s a happy new year and we’re back at our desks.

Every year I vow to myself that next year will be different, I’ll be more organised. Every year I follow the same panic-and-then-collapse model.

This year, of course, there was that other small thing to contend with – the ongoing effects of nearly two years of uncertainty and instability. Earlier this year psychologist Rachael Walden told me that pandemic fatigue was likely to be eating away at all of us, even if we thought we were coping ok.  “This has been a scary time, and while we may think we are used to it, there really is no getting used to a threat, so our nervous systems are exhausted. It's been a long and protracted period of uncertainty, fear, financial worries, scary numbers of cases, and for many people, life is in limbo. We haven't been able to progress careers, plan holidays (or weddings or other fun things), see those we care about, or plan a future. This all takes a toll on us humans and our brains are less sharp, quick, and focused as a result.”

So how do we keep on keeping on? Here are 5 tips to get you to 2022 in one piece:

1.    Remember December 31 is just a date

Despite the overwhelming urge to end the year with a clean slate, the reality is that our calendar is a completely arbitrary system and December 31 is about as meaningful as Y2K was. If you don’t complete every last task on your list before Christmas, that’s ok. Give yourself the grace to know that you can pick it back up in the new year – and you may even do a better job when you come back with fresh eyes.

2.    Learn to say no

Yes, I know. From a certified people pleaser, this one pains me. But it’s helpful to remember that you don’t have to accept every single invitation you receive in the next two weeks. Perhaps you can shift some end-of-year drinks to a new year catch-up. Perhaps you can give your mum’s neighbour’s Christmas do a miss this year, and pop in another time. And perhaps you can set some boundaries at work, with a simple ‘I’m afraid I won’t have time to get to this before Christmas, but I can make it a priority in January’. Sounds simple. Right?

3.    Take the pressure off

I’ve always had a ‘go hard or go home’ attitude to Christmas. But this year, while I’m still basking in the glow of the Christmas tree lights and eating my way through every mince pie I can, I’m trying to take some of the pressure off. That means convincing the family to do a Secret Santa, minimising my panic-buying schedule. We’re also spreading out the festivities, so instead of the frenzied driving from house to house over the course of 48 hours, we’ll be doing a week-long tour of our destinations. The kids don’t know the difference between December 25 and December 28, and miraculously, Santa seems to follow our schedule too.

4.   Don’t skimp on your non-negotiables

As the obligations stack up and your calendar fills, something has to give. All too often, the first thing to go is our self-care practices. For me, I’m making a point of keeping up my workout schedule, because it makes me happy, and keeps me sane. I’ve also booked in a facial, as a little treat to keep me going through the silly season.

5.    Remember joy

Despite all my complaining, this really is my absolute favourite time of year. It’s magical, and even more so after being isolated from loved ones for so long. So when I find myself sweating under a trolley-full of wrapping paper or stressing about how to cram seven social engagements into the one day, I’m vowing to remember what this season is all about. (Prawns, champagne, and Mariah Carey, obviously).