End the Year with Care, Not Burnout
From the Desk of Katriina Tahka, Founder & CEO
As the year wraps up, pressure ramps up. December often pushes teams to the edge. Deadlines, fatigue, social load and emotional strain. It is not just about finishing strong; it is about finishing safely and with care. This month is about protecting people and setting up a healthier start to the year ahead.
Feature Topic: Holiday Season Pressure – Leading with Safety, Care and Boundaries
December can be deceiving. On the surface, it is festive and full of celebration. Underneath, it can be overloaded, fatigued, emotionally stretched and filled with rising risks. It is the season of “just one more thing”, one more project, one more event, one more push. For many teams, that pressure adds up fast.
This month, we are helping leaders keep the season bright without burning out their people. That means recognising early signs of stress, managing fatigue before it becomes a hazard, and supporting those who may feel disconnected or overwhelmed. From workload to workplace events, everything needs more thought and more empathy in December.
It is also the moment to look ahead. Leaders who organise coaching before the break send a clear message: you will be supported next year. When people know they have someone in their corner in January, they return calmer, clearer and far less likely to spend their holidays browsing job ads.
At A-HA, we see this time as a leadership opportunity. A chance to show care, model boundaries and send people into the break feeling valued rather than drained. Whether you are running a frontline team, a corporate office or a hybrid workforce across Australia, we will help you close the year with clarity, connection and a real sense of safety so January starts strong.
A-HA Human Conversations Podcast: What the Herd Teaches Us About Leadership and Energy with Jacqui Parshall
Our December episode is now live, featuring leadership coach and TeachingHorse™ practitioner Jacqui Parshall.
It is the perfect conversation for leaders navigating fatigue, urgency and emotional load at the end of the year.
In this episode, Jacqui explores:
- How herd behaviour mirrors team dynamics and shared leadership
- The hidden signals teams send when they are tired or misaligned
- Why energy, presence and pace matter more than effort in December
- How incongruence shows up, and why people follow leaders they trust
- What restoring energy looks like across the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual dimensions
- Simple practices leaders can use to reset themselves and their teams
Organisational Training, Workshops and Coaching
Leadership Reset: Start the Year With Clarity and Connection
A practical half-day workshop designed to help leaders and teams start the new year grounded, connected and ready to move with intention. Instead of returning to work reactive and overwhelmed, this session creates space to reset expectations, rebuild rhythm and set the tone for a healthier, more productive year.
This workshop is ideal for teams who want to begin 2026 with focus, alignment and a positive culture foundation.
What is included:
- Leader’s Clarity and Wellbeing Toolkit
Practical tools for start-of-year conversations, boundaries and team rhythm. - Optional February Coaching Debrief
A guided check-in to help leaders stay aligned once the year gets moving.
Book now for January or February to help your team start the year well.
Quick Reads: Articles You’ll Want to Share
- How to Start January with a Welbeing Reset that Works
- The Year We Had and What it Taught Us About Leadership
A-HA’s Year End Reflection
As we wrap up 2025, we have been taking our own advice, slowing down, checking in with each other and doing the work that keeps us grounded. This year brought big conversations, new clients, new coaches and a renewed commitment to creating workplaces where people and business can thrive.
We are closing out the year with a lot of gratitude. Gratitude for the leaders we have worked with, the teams who trust us in their most human moments, and the space to do work that genuinely matters.
If you are looking for something meaningful to unwind with over the break, here is what the A-HA team have been enjoying:
What We Are Reading
- Negotiate Your Worth by Sam Trattles – discover your communication strengths and learn how to ask with confidence
- Onyx Storm – Rebecca Yarros
- Last One Out – Jane Harper
- Atomic Habits – James Clear
What We Are Watching
- The Bear
- Ted Lasso
- Severance
What We Are Listening To
- The Diary of a CEO
- And our December episode with Jacqui Parshall
Here is to a safe finish to the year, a restorative break and a January where your people return supported, refreshed and ready for what is next. We look forward to working with you in 2026.
Our office will be closed for Friday Dec 19th – Jan 5th 2026.
Next Steps
Listen to the Podcast
At A-HA, we create human-friendly workplaces where people and businesses thrive.