I am mentally exhausted. Does anyone else feel like December just wipes them out? Eighteen years into my career, and it feels like clockwork: I start the Christmas holidays completely drained. This year is no different. In fact, it might have hit me even harder than before.
For context, a couple of weeks ago, I forgot my laptop password. After days of frequent travel, when I hopped on a train bound for Madrid, I opened my laptop and couldn’t remember the password. It had never happened with that particular one before, though it had with others, and it felt like a clear sign of exhaustion. The high-security standards at Apple didn’t even let me format it. In the end, our awesome IT support team worked their magic so I could start fresh with a clean install.
This year has been hectic, demanding both at home and at work, and now I really need a break. My team has been delivering better than ever, but we’ve been juggling multiple projects simultaneously, fragmenting my attention as I try to anticipate blockages and clear the path for them to succeed. At home, my daughter is five years old and still not sleeping through the night, something that definitely doesn’t help!
January will be even more intense as we’ll be opening new positions on the team (stay tuned!). Hiring season is always stressful, especially during bull-market times when competition for talent is fierce. But for now, my focus is on wrapping up a few tasks and enjoying one last session this Friday at the Dirección y Cultura de Producto program at Instituto Tramontana before signing off for two weeks.
I’m looking forward to spending uninterrupted time with my family—it’s time to fully embrace my kid’s excitement about Christmas, and returning in January with renewed energy to dive back into work! If you’re lucky enough to already be taking some well-earned time off, make sure you rest well and savor every moment of your free time!