The December reset: Why burnt-out Singapore workers can’t afford to skip this break

Photos by Ian Tan

The final weeks of the year bring a familiar pattern: last-minute deadlines, performance reviews, and the promise of a few days off. But for Singapore’s workforce, December 2025 arrives against a backdrop of burnout that runs far deeper than ordinary year-end fatigue.

The numbers paint a sobering picture. According to Employment Hero’s 2024 Wellness at Work Report, 61 per cent of Singaporean employees report feeling exhausted—one of the highest rates globally.

The Ministry of Manpower’s (MOM) own iWorkHealth assessment tool confirms this crisis, finding that approximately one-third of workers experienced work-related stress or burnout in 2024.

The issue isn’t just about feeling tired. Burnout costs the Singapore economy an estimated $15.7 billion annually in lost productivity due to mental health challenges like anxiety and depression.

It drives absenteeism, fuels high turnover, and stifles the innovation that keeps our economy competitive. Just last year, more than two in five workers resigned specifically to improve their work-life balance, according to Randstad’s 2024 Employer Brand Research, which places this concern ahead even of higher pay.

For many Singapore workers, December isn’t simply a countdown to the new year. It’s a crucial, non-negotiable window for genuine recovery.

The question isn’t whether you need a break, but how to use it effectively to protect your mental well-being before the next cycle begins.

The burnout crisis: Why Singapore workers are reaching breaking point

The generational divide

While burnout affects workers across all ages, younger employees bear the heaviest burden.

Employment Hero’s research shows that 68 per cent of Gen Z workers and 65 per cent of Millennials report experiencing burnout—significantly higher than other age groups.

The results are not coincidental. Younger workers entered a job market characterised by rapid technological change, blurred boundaries between work and personal life, and the expectation of constant availability.

For this generation, work-life balance isn’t a perk; it’s a fundamental requirement. Randstad’s Workmonitor 2025 Report confirms that work-life balance now ranks as the top factor in workers’ job choices, surpassing even salary considerations.

When balance becomes non-negotiable

The clearest evidence that workers are prioritising mental well-being appears in resignation trends.

Randstad’s research reveals that 41 per cent of local workers quit their jobs specifically “to improve my work-life balance”—the single leading reason for resignations, ahead of concerns over low pay and rising living costs.

This represents a fundamental shift. Workers are no longer willing to sacrifice their mental health for professional advancement, and they are choosing to leave when employers fail to provide sustainable working conditions.

The financial anxiety factor

Adding pressure to existing burnout is widespread financial stress.

The Employment Hero report found that 27 per cent of employees cite financial stress and rising living costs as their biggest source of anxiety. Financial insecurity creates a vicious cycle: workers feel compelled to work longer hours to maintain their income, which accelerates burnout, which, in turn, affects productivity and job security.

Workers with no emergency savings recorded mental health scores nearly 40 points lower than those who are financially secure, illustrating a direct link between financial confidence and psychological well-being.

Over half of Gen Z (56 per cent) and Millennials (52 per cent) report living paycheque to paycheque, according to Deloitte research, making financial wellness an essential component of any burnout recovery strategy.

Your 4-step December reset plan

Taking leave is necessary, but genuine recovery requires intentional action. This four-step plan addresses the mental, emotional, physical, and practical components of burnout throughout December.

Step 1: The power-down week

Goal: Create a clean mental break before your leave begins.

The 72-hour digital buffer: Three days before your official leave starts, move all work-related apps—email, Teams, WhatsApp—off your phone’s home screen into a dedicated folder. This physical distance creates a mental barrier that makes ‘just checking’ less automatic.

The comprehensive handover: Create one clear handover document that categorises all open tasks as either ‘Urgent/Needs Cover’ or ‘Non-Urgent/Deferred to 2026’. Share this with your team and manager. This prevents the anxiety of forgotten tasks from intruding on your recovery time.

Step 2: Reclaiming your body

Goal: Address the physical toll of chronic stress.

Stress severely disrupts sleep patterns and physical well-being. This phase focuses on physical healing as the foundation for mental recovery.

The consistency commitment: Establish a fixed eight-hour sleep schedule for at least 10 consecutive days. Avoid screens for 60 minutes before bed. Quality sleep is the single most effective intervention for burnout recovery, allowing your nervous system to reset properly.

Movement, not exercise: Focus on low-impact, gentle movement that engages both mind and body. Consider taking long walks in nearby parks, practising yoga, or cycling in the evening. The goal isn’t fitness, it’s reconnecting with your body and permitting it to slow down.

Step 3: Rediscovering flow

Goal: Re-engage your brain in activities that provide joy and mastery outside work.

The meaningful work swap: Dedicate several hours to a hobby that provides real results, for instance,  baking, learning a musical instrument, painting, crafting, or volunteering. These activities counter the feeling of emptiness that often accompanies burnout by giving you immediate, visible evidence of accomplishment.

The financial wellness hour: Set aside one calm hour to review your finances without pressure. Rather than creating an elaborate budget, focus on setting just two simple, achievable financial goals for 2026. This addresses the financial anxiety component of burnout while building a sense of control.

NTUC members can also tap into financial counselling services and workshops to build long-term financial resilience.

Step 4: Setting your 2026 boundaries

Goal: Prevent the burnout cycle from recurring by establishing clear boundaries.

A genuine reset means more than temporary recovery. It requires establishing new rules of engagement for the year ahead.

Write your two non-negotiables: Identify and write down two specific boundaries you will uphold in 2026. Examples include: “I will not check email after 7pm”, “I will take a proper lunch break away from my desk four days a week”, or “I will use all my annual leave entitlement”. Be specific and realistic.

Plan your flexible work arrangements: Review your employer’s Flexible Work Arrangement (FWA) options. Decide which arrangements—whether hybrid work, flexible hours, or compressed work weeks—you will formally discuss with your manager in January. Prepare your case for how these arrangements will benefit both your well-being and your productivity.

NTUC members can access resources and guidance on negotiating FWAs through their union representatives.

For workers who can’t take extended leave: The micro-reset strategy

Not everyone can take time off during December. Essential workers, those in client-facing roles, or workers with limited leave entitlement still need protection from burnout.

The strategy here shifts from full withdrawal to creating intentional, protected pockets of recovery within your regular schedule.

Daily psychological disconnection

The biggest drain on energy isn’t the work itself; it’s the constant feeling of being ‘on call’. Combat this with firm daily boundaries.

The 60-minute communication freeze: Every evening, enforce a complete freeze on checking work communications for one hour (for example, 7pm-8pm). Set an out-of-office autoreply stating you’ll respond the next morning. This gives your brain one hour of predictable, protected freedom each day.

The work clothes off rule: The instant you finish work, change out of your work attire, even if you’re working from home. This simple physical boundary helps cue your brain that the workday has officially ended.

Weekend boundary contract

Since extended leave isn’t possible, your weekends become non-negotiable recovery zones.

The Sunday prep firewall: Instead of working all weekend, schedule a single 90-minute block on Sunday afternoon for essential preparation. Outside this block, the weekend remains completely work-free. This prevents anxiety from bleeding into your entire weekend while ensuring you’re prepared for Monday.

The Saturday joy rule: Dedicate the whole day to non-work activities that engage your sense of flow. This creates a solid 24-hour block of genuine rest, even if Friday and Sunday involve some work preparation.

Leveraging the December downtime

Even if you’re working, many clients and partners slow down in late December. Use this reduced pace strategically.

Audit and simplify: During the quietest week (typically between Christmas and New Year), review your most exhausting, repetitive tasks. Create standard operating procedures or identify automation opportunities in 2026. This lowers your mental workload for the year ahead.

Deep-focus blocks: When possible, block out half-days to work on high-value tasks that provide deep satisfaction—long-term planning, learning new skills, or creative projects—rather than urgent, reactive tasks. This builds a sense of accomplishment even while working.

From survival to sustainability

The data on burnout in Singapore highlights a collective challenge, but meaningful change begins with individual action. The December reset isn’t a luxury—it’s essential maintenance for workers operating in an increasingly demanding environment.

By following an intentional reset plan, Singapore workers move beyond simply surviving the holiday period to actively reclaiming control over their time, energy, and mental well-being. This is how exhausted employees become strategically productive and emotionally resilient ones.

Protecting your mental well-being isn’t resistance—it’s sustainability. Workers who consistently prioritise work-life balance through firm boundaries and deliberate recovery return to their roles sharper, more innovative, and less likely to burn out or resign.

As December 2025 gets underway, every Singapore worker faces a choice: allow chronic exhaustion to dictate the year ahead, or use this window to establish a healthier relationship with work, and with yourself.

Given the personal and economic costs of burnout, the answer should be clear.

Your December reset begins in 3... 2... 1

Facing burnout at work? You don’t have to navigate it alone. NTUC members can access confidential support, advocacy resources, and guidance on workplace rights. Reach out to your union representative today.