Feeling tired and low on energy at the end of the year? Doctors advise on how to regain your spirits.

The pressure to meet KPIs, parties, year-end summaries, and a packed schedule can easily lead to fatigue, stress, and low energy levels.

Year-end lethargy not only hinders work but also affects social relationships with many people. Understanding the mechanisms behind why you might feel irritable, sad, or depressed during the end of the year will help you balance your emotions and maintain positive energy.

Stress tends to increase towards the end of the year.

Mr. HGB (28 years old, residing in Ho Chi Minh City), an office worker, shared: “The feeling of having to complete many things at the same time to ‘pack up’ all the work before the new year makes me feel restless and less focused than usual. My spirits also drop, I become passive, and it’s harder to integrate into group activities with others during the last days of the year.”

Early signs of burnout include persistent fatigue, irritability, forgetting deadlines, changes in appetite, and sleep patterns.

ILLUSTRATIVE PHOTO: AI

Similarly, Ms. TTTA (32 years old, residing in Ho Chi Minh City), a marketing employee, visited the hospital with symptoms of prolonged fatigue, insomnia, and irritability. She stated that the pressure to meet year-end KPI reports caused her to work 12 hours a day, leading to feelings of "worthlessness" if she didn't achieve her goals. After assessment, she was diagnosed with burnout (Z73.0 according to ICD-10) and prescribed short-term cognitive behavioral therapy combined with rest. After 4 weeks, she improved by 70%, thanks to learning how to prioritize tasks.

According to Dr. Nguyen Phi Yen, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Thu Duc General Hospital (Ho Chi Minh City), the number of psychological consultations due to work-related stress increases significantly at the end of the year, due to pressure to achieve goals and the holiday season. At the end of 2025, the number of psychiatric consultations increased by 25-30% compared to the previous quarter, with burnout being the main cause.

“The psychological mechanism here is related to ‘catastrophizing,’ where the brain exaggerates potential failure, activating the fight-or-flight response, leading to prolonged anxiety. Understanding this mechanism helps individuals proactively balance their emotions by early identification and intervention, transforming pressure into opportunities for self-care,” Dr. Phi Yen explained.

Research from the journal Frontiers in Psychology (Switzerland) also emphasizes that awareness of seasonal stress helps increase resilience, reducing anxiety levels by 20-30% if a daily emotional journal is maintained.

Transform "negative stress" into "positive stress".

According to Dr. Phi Yen, from a psychological perspective, KPI pressure can be "transformed" into eustress (positive stress) instead of distress (negative stress) by viewing it as a challenge that drives growth. Moderate levels of stress can boost performance, but exceeding a certain threshold can lead to decreased efficiency. Therefore, breaking KPIs down into smaller, achievable goals will create a greater sense of control.

Working for 25 minutes, then taking a 5-minute break to stand up and stretch, helps increase concentration by 20% and reduce fatigue.

PHOTO: AI

The positive pressure of deadlines can foster focus and enthusiasm if balanced with rest periods, keeping stress at an energizing level rather than leading to burnout. This approach not only supports KPI achievement but also strengthens long-term resilience.

From here, Dr. Yen suggests some small, easy-to-adopt habits for office workers, based on positive psychology, to help maintain energy without taking up much time:

Advanced Pomodoro Break : Work for 25 minutes, then take a 5-minute break to stand up and stretch, which helps increase concentration by 20% and reduce fatigue.

Daily Achievement Journal : Write down 3 small things you accomplished before the end of the day, trigger dopamine, and boost KPI motivation.

Short morning exercise : 10 minutes of yoga or walking to increase endorphins and reduce stress by 15-20%.

Set "limits" for work : Turn off notifications after a certain time in the evening to protect your sleep and increase job satisfaction.

Quick social connection : Send encouraging messages to colleagues weekly, reduce isolation, and boost team energy.

"These habits, if maintained consistently for 2-3 weeks, can increase positive energy by 25-40%. Start with 1-2 that suit you best to avoid overloading yourself," shared Dr. Phi Yen.

Early signs of overload and how to stabilize it quickly.

According to Doctor Nguyen Phi Yen, early signs of burnout include: persistent fatigue despite sufficient sleep; irritability or easily agitated; difficulty concentrating (such as forgetting small deadlines); changes in appetite and sleep patterns; and/or feelings of hopelessness about work.

These symptoms appear when cortisol levels are high, leading to decreased productivity and increased anxiety if left untreated. To stabilize it immediately, people can apply the following:

Practice the 4-7-8 breathing exercise : Inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 7 seconds, exhale for 8 seconds to activate the parasympathetic nervous system and reduce anxiety for 5 minutes.

Micro- breaks : You can take a 10-minute walk to reset your brain.

Keep a journal of 3 things you are grateful for to redirect negative thoughts.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/met-moi-tut-nang-luong-cuoi-nam-bac-si-mach-cach-lay-lai-tinh-than-185251217232307102.htm