The end of another year brings with it a mixture of feelings, and for some of us it brings stress and anxiety.

This can come in the aftermath of pressure and grief brought about or exacerbated by the festive season – or the overwhelming expectation to know, predict and prepare for the upcoming new year. Regardless, end-of-year stress is a nasty thing, and can feel overwhelming.

And that’s without taking into account the fact that many of us were feeling put-upon even before we started reflecting on a new year. A November 2022 study by the Mental Health Foundation found that 29% of adults were feeling stressed, 34% were experiencing anxiety and 10% felt hopeless because of financial worries.

How to use the psychologist-approved ‘ONA tool’ to tackle end-of-year stress