We don’t want to alarm you but… it is December. Officially.
The shops have been ready since October, Mariah Carey has been unthawed to become our auditory overlord and the risk of end-of-year burnout is heightened.
Sure, December is the ‘most wonderful time of the year’ but it’s also a fair bit of stress.
As deadlines shorten, there's a frenzied rush to sign off on projects and suss out your admin before the year concludes, suddenly everything is urgent and important. Your calendar becomes jammed with dinners, obligatory corporate festivities, genuine merriment, errands to run, and every outing is a skirmish through bustling crowds.
In the collective chaos, it can feel as though everyone is operating to the sound of Mariah’s certified banger “All I Want For Christmas is You”—rushing to complete every task in the 3 mins and 30 secs before she hits that final high note. You become stuck in exhausting synthesiser-fuelled Groundhog Day of work, social commitments, and Mariah’s vocal acrobatics until you emerge in January—fatigued, depleted, and perhaps a tad cynical.
Sound familiar? Those feelings aren’t merely the aftermath of a grand festive season; they are also unmistakable symptoms of burnout. The relentless pursuit of deadlines, endless social engagements, and the perpetual cycle of high expectations can cast a shadow that lingers far longer than Mariah’s reign over our eardrums and the Christmas charts.
So what, the solution? Do we wait until January and deal with the consequences then? Do we stay in the cycle, knowing we need a change but doing nothing? Do we wait until a new queen of Christmas is crowned and hope her tune is a bit more mellow?
Or do we hit pause on the Mariah-fuelled merry-go-round; step back, slow down and take a break now—before those feelings of burnout take hold.
If the jingle of sleigh bells and pithy piano makes you feel more snowed under than festive, now might be the perfect time to hit pause, step back, and…hey maybe get in some nature.
As the year wraps up, we’d like to make special mention of Unyoked’s partnership with STONZ. We’re stoked to be supporting you Dr’s as you navigate your way through the year.
In celebration of STONZ 5th Birthday we’d love to offer three of you a double dose of nature at any of our NZ locations. Click on this Typeform Link to go in the draw for the gifted Unyoked Stays.
If any of you are at a loss for Xmas presents ideas this year or you know someone that could really use ‘somewhere’ not something check out our Wilderness Prescription Vouchers. Just the right amount of time Off-Grid can be just what’s needed.
Our final parting news for the year- We’re also thrilled to let you know we’ve just launched three brand new locations at Kawakawa Bay (50 mins SE of Auckland). If you throw in the code NATUREDOSE at the checkout phase, you’ll receive 25% off a two-night stay.
Happy holidays to all the STONZ whānau and take a good breather- you deserve it!