It’s that time of year: Christmas is a season of goodwill, peace on earth and all that jazz. Somehow, it doesn’t seem to translate all that well into the workplace until the last day, when we open our Kris Kringles – and possibly some bubbles or a mince pie or two- and by then we’re generally all feeling a bit scratchy and exhausted.

That’s because for many, it’s a time of crazy pressure, where Christmas acts as some sort of massive deadline and we’re all going to explode if it’s not all done by the 25th.

It’s been a long year, the holidays are looming, and we’re dealing with colleagues who are also tired and stressed and pressured. For many people, Christmas is a challenging time personally, and all these factors can combine to bring out our worst, rather than our best- even if we don’t realise.

So, please allow some additional goodwill, tolerance and generosity in your office, towards your colleagues- and yourself.

Take time to breathe, be kind and support/ make allowances for others who are also feeling stressed and tired.

…and remember also that with just over a week and a half to go, you WILL make it through – without the sky falling in (or a house dropping on you)