How to stay focused during the holidays – a practical guide for CEOs

The holiday season is a unique blend of celebration and pressure. Two weeks until the year of the year, there’s the year-end deadlines, festive planning, family commitments and travel that can easily fragment your focus just when you need it most. LinkedIn contributors, psychologists and neuroscientists offer evidence-based strategies to help leaders stay productive without burning out – valuable insights for navigating both personal and professional priorities this time of year.

1. Accept the holiday rhythm

LinkedIn productivity voices like Jen Hulme suggest that one of the most important shifts is adjusting expectations: December isn’t a “normal working month.” Rather than trying to maintain full operational tempo, focus on high-impact tasks that suit the slower rhythm, such as strategic planning, deep analysis, documentation, and year-end reflections. Ms Hulme notes that recognising this seasonal “slowdown” helps leaders concentrate on meaningful work without fighting the calendar.

Rony Rozen and her team at Google recommend conducting a “holiday readiness check” on critical projects before taking time off – a practical way to protect focus by reducing unexpected issues during breaks.

2. Use strategic “nos”

LinkedIn posts from thought leaders like Dan Saunders emphasise the power of the strategic “no.” Saying no to low-priority meetings or non-essential requests creates space for focused work and meaningful holiday experiences. Mr Saunders advocates batching tasks – allocating blocks of uninterrupted time for high-value work – while deferring or delegating less critical demands.

3. Understand what stress does to focus

Harvard Medical School psychologist Ellen Braaten, PhD, highlights that holidays often demand more executive functioning – planning, time-management, shifting attention between tasks – than any other time of year. When overloaded, the brain’s prefrontal cortex – responsible for focus and decision-making — becomes stretched, which can reduce memory performance and increase cognitive fatigue. Prof. Braaten advises setting realistic expectations and consciously deciding how you want to spend your time rather than reacting to every holiday demand.

4. Build Mindful Routines That Support Cognitive Health

Psychologists emphasise daily habits that keep your mind sharp and grounded:

• Start with a grounding ritual – simple, screen-free practices like journaling, meditation, or stretching can anchor your day and prime your focus.
• Mindful movement – light exercise, such as walking or yoga, increases blood flow to the brain and reduces stress hormones, improving both mood and cognitive performance.
• Mindful breathing and boundaries – pausing to breathe deeply or stepping back from social/meeting overload reinforces attention and prevents mental fatigue.

These practices are supported by broader mindfulness research, including work from Johns Hopkins Medicine psychologist Neda Gould, PhD, who shows that mindfulness fosters perspective and reduces reactive stress – a vital factor in maintaining focus.

5. Prioritise Rest, Sleep and Recovery

High-performing executives may be tempted to power through the season, but sleep and rest are non-negotiables for cognitive performance. Lack of sleep worsens stress, reduces executive functioning and dampens decision-making – exactly the skills leaders need most. Setting boundaries around rest and avoiding late-night work helps preserve focus and overall brain health.

6. Set Realistic Goals and Keep It Manageable

Holiday productivity isn’t about accomplishing everything – it’s about achieving what matters most. Use tools like the Pomodoro Technique ( a focused 25-minute work block followed by a short break) to maintain structure without overloading your mental bandwidth.

Likewise, prioritising tasks and delegating or postponing where appropriate ensures that your cognitive resources are dedicated to meaningful outcomes, not noise.