December 2025
Editor's Note:
The “Winter Arc”: A Seasonal Reset for the Ambitious
We talk a lot about growth - but not enough about recalibration.
Think of winter as your seasonal reset.
A time to pull back, reflect, and prepare for your next growth cycle. Less outward energy. More inward alignment.
For professionals, this might look like:
● Working from home or restructuring schedules to prioritise rest.
● Cutting down on travel and social commitments.
● Spending evenings in reflection - reading, journaling, or planning.
● Focusing on deeper strategic work instead of performative “busy” work.
It’s not about hibernation, it’s about recalibration.
The truth is, most professional cultures are still built on constant output, an unfortunate hangover from industrial-era work patterns that ignore our human rhythm. But leaders who design autonomy into their schedules are discovering that honouring seasonal energy actually enhances long-term productivity and creativity.
A viable “winter arc” could mean:
✔ Reducing non-essential meetings.
✔ Protecting “deep work” days instead of back-to-back calls.
✔ Energy-based scheduling - tackling hard tasks in daylight, reflection at night.
✔ Personal restoration practices - therapy, exercise, creative hobbies or meditation.
Because this season isn’t about slowing down for the sake of it. It’s about sustainable vitality.
Humans are seasonal beings. Before electricity and globalised work culture, winter meant slower rhythms: shorter days, shared meals, storytelling, rest. The modern push to “crush Q4” when our bodies crave restoration is what is truly unnatural.
When we ignore our natural ebb - constantly striving, pushing, performing - we disconnect from our circadian and emotional intelligence.
The result? Burnout, anxiety, and creative fatigue.
So this winter, I invite you to lead differently.
Don’t power through. Power down - with purpose.
Happy Holidays!
Lynn xo
This month’s highlights
Ask Lynn
Any questions you have, career-led, life choices or situations you need help navigating - I will answer. This month I talk through questions such as:
“December is our busiest month, and my team expects me to take on extra shifts. I’m already burnt out, but saying no feels like I’m letting them down. How do I protect my energy?”
“I'm six months postpartum and due to return to work in the new year but I’ve changed my mind. How do I talk to my husband about this? I feel like it puts pressure on him to be the breadwinner when we were always equal. I feel like either I let down my baby, or I let him down.”
“In my job someone always works Christmas, and traditionally it’s the most junior. They didn’t hire a new person this year due to budget cuts, which means I’m on for the third year running. My colleagues all have partners and children, so I feel bad asking for time off, but I want Christmas too. How do I say it kindly without damaging relationships?”
Episode VI: She Means Business - Mecca Ibrahim
Mecca Ibrahim is one of those women who changes the temperature in a room, not by raising her voice, but by raising the standards. As Co-Founder of Women in the Food Industry and a former senior leader at Great British Chefs, she’s spent years spotlighting the culinary talent the industry too often sidelines: women, founders, creators, and especially women of colour who shape the culture of food but rarely get the platform.
December’s Power Play Picks
Gifts we love this season.
Lower budget (£30 and under)
Pick No. 1: The Viral Productivity Planner
For those looking to level up in the New Year | £28 | Available at https://productivitymethod.com/products/the-daily-planner-cowprint in various shades.
Pick No. 2: Monsoon by Asma Khan
For those looking to spice up their cooking | £26 | Available at Amazon, Waterstones, and all bookstores.
Mid-range budget (£100 and under):
Pick No. 3: Mind Oasis by Rituals
Treatments for those looking to truly relax this Christmas at their brand-new London Oxford Street location | Various prices all under £100 | Available at https://booking.rituals.com/s/new-appointment-mind-oasis?country=United_Kingdom&language=en_GB
Pick No. 4: Monica Vinader jewelry
For those looking for timeless elegance | Various prices | Available at https://www.monicavinader.com
High budget (£100+):
Pick No. 5: 1 Year FemaleInvest Membership
For those looking to level up their wealth-building habits | £179 | Available at https://femaleinvest.store/en-gb/products/print-it-yourself-christmas-card-1-year-membership
Pick No. 6: Lumie Alarm Clock
For those winter morning wake-ups | £119 | Available at Amazon and www.lumie.com
Our Charitable Pick
Sponsor a room for a cold child with Centrepoint from just £12 a month. https://centrepoint.org.uk/support-us/appeals/sponsor-room
You could be the turning point today by becoming a Room Sponsor and helping a young person find safety at Centrepoint. Your monthly gifts will give a homeless young person a safe, warm room to live in and real support, so that they can start to turn their lives around.