How leaders can set the tone for rest this festive season

Image source: DC Studio from Freepik

Your role this festive season is simple but powerful: give explicit permission for people to rest. Here’s how:

1. Prepare for handover early

Don’t wait until the last Friday before the holidays. Start talking now about who covers what, how handovers will work, and what truly can wait until January. Clarity reduces anxiety… for everyone.

2. Leave by example

Your team watches what you do more than what you say. Turn on your out-of-office, respect others’ boundaries, and resist the urge to “just check in”. Leadership includes modelling rest.

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3. Make it safe to disconnect

When people feel they’ll be judged for resting, they don’t rest. In your final team meeting, acknowledge that rest is a critical part of performance. The best corporate athletes understand the importance of the balance between stress (energy spend) and recovery (energy restored).

4. Challenge the urgency bias

Take five minutes to look at your current to-do list. Consider what is an absolutely must be done before the year ends, and what can wait? The ability to distinguish between “urgent” and “important” is one of the most underrated leadership skills.

5. Lead with energy as your currency

Treat energy and a high-performance brain state as your most vital resource. Gallup reminds us that engagement is fuelled by energy, clarity, and purpose, not by the number of hours worked. Rest is not a perk for performance; it’s the foundation that makes performance possible.