It’s the end of the year and the pressure is on, demands are high, and you’re probably close to the end of your rope as you try to wrap up your remaining projects before the holidays start. If that’s you, you’re not alone. Holiday stress is very common: In a survey by LifeStance Health, 57% of respondents said they experience stress over the season.

But it’s possible to maintain your energy and momentum and not only get things done but stay engaged and finish strong. Fortunately, there are a few pragmatic strategies to maintain your energy and momentum through the end of the year.

1. Maintain control

You’re likely to start feeling out of control. This is because of all the work you must accomplish before the end of the year, all the events you must attend, and all the responsibilities to families and friends for the holidays.

Feeling like your work-life balance is out of control can sap your energy and create a barrier to getting things done. This can turn into a vicious circle. You’re out of control, can’t get things done, and then feel even more out of control, and the cycle continues. On the other hand, when you feel greater levels of choice and control, you’re better able to stay clearheaded, get more accomplished, and feel more satisfied as a result.

So how can you feel more in control? First, decide what you must do this year and put off the things that don’t need your attention until after the holidays. Be intentional to get things done that will relieve your mind and keep responsibilities from hanging over your head. At the same time, plan for what can be done later on.

Additional tactics to take control are deceptively simple. Make lists of what you need to accomplish. Keep a calendar handy so you know what’s coming up. When you accomplish things, check them off your list so you feel a sense of completion and progress, or mark the calendar counting the days you’ve tackled.

With all of these, take the approach that works best for you. For some people, it’s an analog and always-visible to-do list. For others it’s an app or the use of your system’s calendar or planning software. Don’t spend a lot of time deciding which to use, just leverage what you’re accustomed to and dig in to take control and maintain your momentum for the year.

2. Prioritize

With so much coming at you, it can be tough to find the time and energy for everything. The project is due at work, you have to buy a “secret Santa” gift, and you must figure out what to give your child’s teacher for the holidays.

Surprisingly, when you remind yourself that you can’t do it all, you’ll actually enhance your well-being. It’s a mindset that we can do it all that often leads to burnout and emotional upheaval. By giving yourself permission to choose, rather than having to do everything, you liberate yourself to focus on what’s most important.

In order to choose well, clarify your values and focus on what’s most important to you. For example, completing the project at work is aligned with your value of excellence or standout performance. Contributing to your child’s party at school is important to your role as an involved and committed parent.

But you might choose to forgo the committee meeting this month or miss the neighborhood cookie exchange because these aren’t as important to your identity or your priorities. In fact, the LifeStance Health data found that 64% of people would like to skip at least a few of their holiday gatherings. So while many of the meetings or events still matter, some may not rank as highly when you consider that you can’t do it all.

Do what you can and preserve your energy for the activities that are most important to you.

3. Spend meaningful time with others

When things get busy, you may feel like everyone is pulling you in different directions, but our community and relationships are among the most important drivers of well-being.

You’ll want to maintain connections to maintain your energy. Research shows that strong community and relationships have significant impact on mental, physical, and cognitive well-being. And yet the holidays can be a lonely time. According to LifeStance Health, 51% of people surveyed said they experience loneliness during the holiday season.

Reframe the demands you face as opportunities to share meaningful time with others. If you’re under pressure to finish the project before the holiday break, appreciate the bonding opportunity with colleagues as you push forward together. If you’re holiday shopping with your sister-in-law, appreciate the moments to deepen your relationship. Strive to be fully present with others, no matter what you’re doing together.

You can also reduce the responsibilities that come with getting together with others. Instead of reading your usual book with your book group this month, get together for conversation without actually reading a book. Or if your singles group normally meets at someone’s house, get together at a restaurant this month so no one has to host. The bottom line: Adjust your patterns during this time so it’s less about the demands and more about the connections.

4. Manage your habits

Another way to maintain your energy is to manage the small habits that make a big difference in your physical and emotional energy. Get enough sleep. Stay hydrated. Eat healthfully. Move as much as you can. All of these are proven ways to ensure you’ll be at your best.

Also spend as much time as possible in nature, even if the weather is colder. Significant research demonstrates that by spending more time outside, you’re able to maintain perspective and rejuvenate for all the responsibilities you face. In fact, nature is a source of micro joy.

Part of the reason that nature is so powerfully positive is that it engages your diffuse attention. You’re generally aware of the light, the breeze, or the brisk air. This is in contrast to the focused attention that work or personal commitments require. Research published in Environment and Behavior found that a shift to a more diffuse focus contributes to well-being and renews you for tasks that require more concentration or intensity.

At the same time, avoid habits that detract from your well-being. For example, steer clear of doomscrolling or spending too much time online. These activities can have an especially negative impact because of the overwhelm caused from too much bad news; the urgency of most news sources, which creates a sense of worry; and the comparisons we naturally make to others. Instead, put your device aside or set a timer on your system to limit your time on social media platforms or news outlets. This will free you to spend more time with people or in nature.

5. Focus on gratitude

Finally, focus on gratitude. When you’re consciously grateful, you contribute to your well-being and ensure you can keep going through it all. You have a lot of responsibilities at work, which is a signal that others value your contributions and rely on you. You have gifts to wrap, which is a reflection of all the loved ones you’re able to provide for. You have gatherings to attend, which is an indication of how you’re connected to your community.

It’s also powerful to remind yourself that you’re not alone. When you’re under a lot of pressure, it can be natural to lose a broader perspective or feel like a victim of too much, too fast, all-at-once circumstances. But research experiments have shown that when people remind themselves that others are also going through hard times or similar challenges, they feel greater levels of happiness and well-being and less isolation, according to a study published in the Journal of Happiness Studies.

To embrace gratitude, think of two experiences you’re grateful for before you go to bed or consider one relationship you’re thankful for as you approach each new day. Also remind yourself that you’re not alone, and that while you face a ton of demands, others have similar experiences. Focusing here will help you maintain your energy.

You can do it

Remember: Just do what you can. You don’t have to be perfect, and you’ll certainly miss things or drop the ball sometimes. Be flexible and optimistic with yourself and others, leaving room for things to go well enough, even if they don’t meet your ideal.

Reduce the pressure on yourself and you’ll not only get through such a busy time with your energy stores intact, you’ll also maintain greater joy in the process.