Finding Work/Life Balance Around the Holidays: A Young Adult’s Guide

The holidays can be a magical time—twinkling lights, cozy gatherings, and a much-needed break from the daily grind. But for many young adults, they can also bring a unique kind of stress. Between work deadlines, family expectations, travel plans, and social events, it’s easy to feel like you’re being pulled in a dozen directions at once.

This time of year can be especially challenging if you’re still building strong executive functioning skills—like planning ahead, staying organized, or managing emotional overwhelm. And for some, executive functioning coaching can provide the kind of structure, strategies, and confidence needed to navigate the holiday season without feeling overloaded.

Finding balance isn’t just about managing your calendar—it’s about protecting your energy, your time, and your peace of mind. Here’s how to do it.

1. Set Clear Boundaries (and Keep Them!)

If you’re working through the holidays or finishing up projects before taking time off, decide in advance when work stops. Communicate your availability to coworkers or clients.💡 Pro tip: Set an “out of office” message a day earlier than you think you need to—you’ll thank yourself later.

Boundaries also apply at home. It’s okay to say “no” to that extra holiday outing or politely decline to debate life choices with a relative over dinner.

2. Prioritize What Actually Matters

Not every event or gift exchange deserves your energy. Ask yourself: Does this bring me joy, connection, or rest? If the answer’s no, it’s probably not worth your time. Choose a few meaningful traditions to keep and let go of the rest. Remember—simple can still be special.

3. Plan for Rest Like You Plan for Fun

Downtime doesn’t just “happen” during the holidays—it has to be scheduled. Block out hours for naps, walks, or quiet evenings in. Your body and mind need recovery time from both work and social overload. Treat rest as non-negotiable.

4. Stay Grounded in Routine (But Make It Seasonal)

The holidays can throw routines into chaos. Try to maintain the basics: sleep, meals, and movement. Add festive touches—listen to a favorite playlist while exercising, or swap your morning scroll for a gratitude list. Small habits that can help keep you anchored and organized.

5. Reflect and Reset for the New Year

As the year winds down, take time to reflect. What worked this year? What drained you? Use that insight to set intentions for the year ahead—not resolutions, but realistic ways to protect your balance moving forward.

How Can Executive Functioning for Young Adults be Helpful With Finding a Work/Life Balance?

Executive functioning skills play a crucial role in helping young adults achieve a healthy work/life balance, especially during a life stage marked by major transitions, new responsibilities, and increasing independence. As young adults move into college, the workforce, or both, they often face competing demands on their time and attention. Without well-developed executive functioning skills, it’s easy to become overwhelmed, fall behind, or feel constantly stressed. Strengthening these skills can provide a solid foundation for managing responsibilities effectively while still making space for rest, relationships, and self-care.

Planning

One of the most important executive functioning skills for work/life balance is planning. Young adults are often required to juggle multiple commitments at once—academic deadlines, work shifts, internship hours, social engagements, and personal tasks. Effective planning helps them map out their obligations in a way that feels realistic rather than chaotic. When young adults learn how to use tools such as calendars, to-do lists, project planners, and digital reminders, they begin to see their time not as something that controls them, but as something they can intentionally organize. Planning ahead also helps reduce the stress that comes from last-minute scrambling, allowing for greater predictability and calm across their week.

Time Management

Closely related to planning is time management, another executive functioning skill that heavily influences balance. Time management isn’t just about working faster; it’s about understanding how long tasks take, setting boundaries, and creating routines that support a steady flow of work. Young adults often underestimate the time needed for responsibilities like studying, preparing for interviews, or maintaining their living space. By learning to break tasks into manageable steps, estimate how long each step will take, and schedule them intentionally, they can avoid overcommitting and better maintain equilibrium between productivity and downtime. Developing awareness of personal energy patterns—such as when they feel most focused or when they need breaks—also allows them to structure their days more effectively.

Organization

Organization is another pillar of executive functioning that supports work/life balance. When physical and digital environments are cluttered, it becomes harder to find what’s needed and easier to lose track of responsibilities. For young adults, organization might involve keeping a tidy workspace, structuring email inboxes, or maintaining orderly systems for notes and documents. Good organizational habits save time, reduce stress, and promote a sense of control—creating more space for leisure, rest, or creative pursuits.

Equally essential is self-regulation, the ability to manage emotions, impulses, and stress levels. Young adults who struggle with self-regulation often find themselves procrastinating, avoiding difficult tasks, or becoming overwhelmed by frustration or anxiety. Strong self-regulation skills help them recognize when they need to pause, use coping strategies, or shift their approach. This skill also supports healthy boundaries—knowing when to say no, when to ask for help, and when to take a break. Self-regulation makes it possible to engage fully in work while still maintaining emotional and mental well-being.

Cognitive Flexibility

Finally, cognitive flexibility, or the ability to adapt to change, is essential for maintaining balance in a phase of life that is full of unpredictability. Whether it’s adjusting to a new job schedule, handling unexpected academic demands, or navigating social dynamics, young adults benefit from the ability to shift perspective and modify plans. Flexibility reduces the stress associated with perfectionism or rigid expectations and helps young adults rebound more easily when things don’t go as planned.

Together, these executive functioning skills allow young adults to create structure, maintain focus, prioritize effectively, and take better care of themselves. When young adults invest in building these abilities, they aren’t just becoming more productive—they’re creating a more sustainable and fulfilling rhythm for daily life, one where both work and personal well-being can thrive.

Final Thoughts

Work/life balance during the holidays isn’t about doing everything—it’s about doing what matters most without losing yourself in the process. With support like executive functioning coaching for young adults through Finding Focus Therapy, you can work with an executive functioning coach to build the structure and strategies you need to stay centered. By setting boundaries, honoring your limits, and prioritizing rest, you can start the new year feeling grounded and energized instead of burned out.

Find Your Balance This Holiday Season With Executive Functioning Coaching for Young Adults in Boulder County, CO

If the holidays feel overwhelming and you’re tired of juggling expectations, executive functioning coaching for young adults in Boulder County, CO can help you stay focused and in control. You deserve support that actually fits your life—not advice that makes you feel behind or misunderstood. Connect with Finding Focus Therapy to get practical tools, real-life strategies, and a steady place to land during one of the busiest times of the year. Follow these three simple steps to get started:

1. Schedule a free 15-minute consultation to learn how executive functioning coaching for young adults in Boulder County, CO can help you manage the holiday overwhelm.

2. Work with a supportive executive functioning coach to strengthen your organization, focus, and follow-through during the busiest time of year.

3. Find calm, clarity, and confidence so you can show up fully and actually enjoy the season—not just survive it.

Additional Services Offered at Finding Focus Therapy

As the holidays ramp up and routines get messy, Finding Focus Therapy offers executive functioning support tailored to young adults who want to feel more grounded, capable, and in control. We’ll take a clear look at what’s disrupting your focus or follow-through and create practical, doable systems that help you stay organized, manage time, and navigate seasonal stress without shutting down.

In addition to executive functioning coaching for young adults, I also provide executive functioning coaching for adults and executive functioning coaching for parents, with each approach shaped around the specific challenges that come with that stage of life. Whether you’re managing work demands, balancing family responsibilities, or figuring out routines that actually support your goals, you’ll receive guidance designed to help you feel steady and capable—even during the busiest seasons.

Instead of relying on quick fixes, our work centers on meaningful and sustainable change—shaping habits and routines that actually fit your real life, not just your ideal one.

About the Author

Liz Morrison, LCSW, is an executive functioning coach and therapist in Boulder, CO, and the founder of Finding Focus Therapy. With over a decade of clinical experience, Liz supports young adults, adults, and parents in building the routines and skills that help life feel calmer and more manageable. She understands how overwhelming it can be to juggle responsibilities while trying to stay grounded, and she brings a warm, practical, and collaborative approach to every session. Her style blends research-backed strategies with real-world tools, helping clients feel steady, capable, and more connected to what matters most.

Beyond individual sessions, Liz partners with schools, community groups, and organizations to offer workshops and trainings focused on stress management, focus, and resilience. These engaging programs provide participants with hands-on techniques they can immediately use to stay organized and reduce overwhelm. Whether she’s guiding parents through challenging seasons or helping adults rebuild structure after burnout, Liz is committed to supporting people as they shift from feeling scattered to feeling confident and in control.