On a recent episode of Your Hope-Filled Perspective, Rev. Jessica Van Roekel and I talked honestly about emotional exhaustion and burnout that often linger after the holidays. Today, Pastor Jessica shares about gentle, practical ways to ease exhaustion and create space for rest as we begin the new year.

5 Gentle Ways to Ease Exhaustion and Burnout After the Holidays
By Rev. Jessica Van Roekel

January is here and maybe you’re exhausted. You’ve been in holiday mode since the week of Thanksgiving. It’s been rushing here and there to fulfill Christmas wish lists from gifts to food to activities. You are the Christmas merry maker and, frankly, feel completely worn out. You may be wondering how to ease exhaustion and burnout after the holidays.

Emotions feel stretched thin. We have no energy. And now people are talking about Word of the Year and New Year’s Resolutions. If we try to add one more thing to our already overwhelmed emotional state, we may snap.

Dr. Michelle and I recognize that Holiday Burnout and Emotional Exhaustion is a very real thing, and we invite you to listen to our latest conversation on the podcast [Healing From Emotional Exhaustion and Holiday Burnout – Episode 352]. Today’s blog post contains five additional practical bonus tips. We pray your heart grows encouraged.

5 Ways to Ease Exhaustion and Burnout After the Holidays

1. Take a daily nap. Even a short 15–20-minute nap is restorative. Set the phone aside, turn the television off, and close your eyes. Do this over your lunch hour or take an afternoon break. By taking deliberate steps to be still, we allow our minds to rest and turn our thoughts to God. Psalm 4:8 says, “In peace I will lie down and sleep for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.” Sometimes when we are emotionally exhausted because of holiday burnout, peace seems far away. Resting can bring us closer to experiencing it once again.
2. Reschedule non-essential appointments. This allows some margin back into your calendar and helps heal from emotional exhaustion and holiday burnout. The holiday season adds to an already busy schedule, and we often don’t remove anything from the calendar. We can take advantage of the sudden halt January offers. January and February offers an opportunity to scale back and regain some white space in the calendar.
3. Protect your yeses. We say yes to so much during December and we can keep saying yes right into January. You don’t have to say yes to laying out a fifty-three-point bullet list of how 2026 will be the best year yet. Every “yes” we give means we say no to something else. Sometimes this is to the detriment of healing from emotional exhaustion and holiday burnout. Make sure your yeses line up with your priority of healing and rest.
4. Reframe the nos. Sometimes giving a reason for why we can’t do something is necessary and other times, it isn’t. I used to think I had to give a detailed reason why I needed to say no. But sometimes the reasons I couldn’t say yes felt too private so I would make something up, which made me feel dishonest. God showed me that No is a complete sentence. When we say no to something, we free up space in our heart and mind for the restorative work God wants to do in our heart, mind, and body. Instead, we can say things like, “That’s not going to work right now, can we schedule something later?” or “I’m at max capacity at the moment.” Or “Sounds fun, can I get back to you on this?”
5. Do something life giving and regenerating every day. Something small that’s an easy win. Lay in bed an extra five minutes feeling the softness of the sheets and listening to the furnace cycle on and off. Take a few swallows of coffee sitting still instead of always on the run. Set your phone to read a chapter of the Bible to you while you get ready for the day. Buy a new lipstick. Call a friend. Wear the sweater you save for special occasions. Use the good China. Pay for a stranger’s coffee. Read a favorite book.

Psalm 73:26 says, “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” God knows when we are exhausted and he knows how physical weariness impacts the state of our heart. He gently turns our attention to the assurances in his word to never leave us nor forsake us. His presence in our lives has nothing to do with what we accomplish. He calls us to rest in him and to abide. It’s there where we grow strong and refreshed. May the start of this month bring you moments of refreshment so that you may learn how to recover from emotional exhaustion and holiday burnout.

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