The Year-End Crunch: Staying Grounded When Work Gets Intense

12/11/2025 10 min
The Year-End Crunch: Staying Grounded When Work Gets Intense

Listen "The Year-End Crunch: Staying Grounded When Work Gets Intense"

Episode Synopsis

It's late on a Tuesday evening in November. You're still at your laptop, shoulders up near your ears, and that voice in your head is saying, "Just get through this. It'll calm down after year-end."But here's the truth: "getting through it" isn't a strategy—it's survival mode dressed up as productivity.In this episode of Unrushed: Less Stress, More Meaning, I'm naming what's really happening during the year-end crunch and exploring how to stay grounded when the pressure's on. No toxic positivity. No "just meditate your way through deadlines." Just practical, honest ways to move through intensity without abandoning yourself.What You'll Learn:Why year-end feels different (and why that actually matters)The hidden cost of chronic stress and the "just one more month" mentalityThree micro-practices that actually work when you have no time: The Two-Minute Morning ResetThe Boundary BookmarkThe Evening ExhaleHow to rewrite your year-end story without changing your workloadKey Takeaway: You don't have to choose between success and peace. You can be committed to your work AND committed to your wellbeing — and it starts with how you move through right now.Reflection Questions:What's one boundary you could protect between now and the end of the year?What would it feel like to finish this year not exhausted, but proud of how you showed up—for your work and for yourself?What's the smallest shift that would make the biggest difference for you right now?💬 Book your 30-minute free, no obligation clarity call here.🎧 Follow Unrushed: Less Stress, More Meaning so you don't miss the next episode!➡️ Subscribe to Newsletter: Do you want weekly inspiration and tips right in your inbox? Click here to subscribe. ➡️ Connect with Ronél: Thank you for listening! You can find more resources and inspiration here: Website: ronelpretorius.com Instagram: @ronelpretorius.coach Pinterest: @ronelpretoriuswellnesscoach LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ronel-pretorius DISCLAIMER: The conversations shared on this podcast are meant to inform, inspire, and support — not to diagnose, treat, or replace professional medical or mental health care. Always seek the guidance of a qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding your health or well-being.