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Ollie Aplin
3 x Founder | CMO & Creative Strategist
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How to Avoid The Q4 Hangover
Happy Cyber Monday to all who celebrate.
Right now you’re probably somewhere between excited, stressed, overwhelmed and holding on by your fingertips. This time of year does that to founders. The expectations are higher, the stakes feel bigger, and every emotion gets amplified.
For MindJournal, more than 30% of our yearly revenue came between the first week of December and the first week of January, so I know exactly what this moment feels like.
Q4 isn’t one feeling. It’s ten at once.
And when something goes wrong, because something always goes wrong, everything feels even heavier.
Slow sales?
Website glitch?
3PL delays?
Courier strikes?
Discount codes leaked?
Customers asking for more than you can give?
All normal. All fixable. But your brain will tell you otherwise.
So before we go anywhere, stop. Take a breath and slow down for a second. Go and grab a (maybe decaffeinated) coffee, then read on.
Here are a few things that will help you stay calm, focused and in control this week.
1. Start with what’s going well
When you’re deep in the trenches, it’s easy to forget what’s going well. A product selling faster than expected. A kind customer message. A small milestone you hit this morning without realising. These wins matter. They are fuel. Use them. Let them anchor you before you start tackling the next thing.
2. Identify the real fires
Right now, everything feels urgent, but it isn’t. Write down every problem in front of you, then circle the top three that would genuinely make the biggest difference if solved today. Start with those. Delegate where you can. Lean on your team. You can’t do everything, and thinking you can is the fastest way to spiral.
3. Hold your nerve
Q4 can start slow and spike unexpectedly. It can surprise you or disappoint you. Don’t let your mind jump into the “what ifs.” Stay grounded in what you can actually control today. A calm founder will always make better decisions than a frantic one, especially during a week like this.
4. Ignore everything that isn’t your business
LinkedIn will be full of screenshots, celebrations, “record-breaking days”, and perfectly curated success stories. Ignore them. What another brand is doing has nothing to do with what you need to do right now. Focus on your customers, your numbers and your capacity. Stay in your lane and keep your head where your hands are.
5. Protect your time and energy
Anything that isn’t essential can wait. Any meeting that isn’t mission-critical can be moved. Any task that doesn’t directly support you this week can be pushed. This is exactly what “Let’s circle back in the new year” was invented for. Most people will be relieved you suggested it. Your energy is not unlimited. Don’t waste it.
6. Take care of your team — and yourself
Your team is likely stretched and tired, too. Support them. Communicate clearly. Give them what they need so they can give your customers what they need. And don’t forget yourself in the process. Drink water. Eat real meals. Step outside. Take breaks. Founders love to pretend we can sprint indefinitely. We can’t. Not taking care of yourself now is exactly how you burn out by the time the holidays arrive.
7. Don’t miss the rest of your life
It’s easy to disappear into dashboards and order flows, but try not to lose the rest of your life in the process. Spend time with the people you love, even if it’s just for an hour. Be present. This season only happens once a year, and you don’t want to look back and realise you missed it because you were glued to Shopify.
8. Make decisions you’ll still stand by in January
Under pressure, it’s tempting to make reactive moves like flash discounts, rushed campaigns or desperate offers. Stop and ask yourself one thing before making any big decision: “Will this help us today and protect us in January?” If the answer isn’t yes to both, rethink it. Your future self is part of this equation, too.
9. Remember: Q4 isn’t the finish line
The hangover is real. If you drain yourself now, you’ll enter January exhausted, foggy and running on fumes. Protecting your energy today is one of the best things you can do for the business you’ll face in a few weeks.
No matter how your Q4 is going, better than expected, slower than hoped or somewhere in the messy middle, you’re doing your best in a high-pressure moment. Give yourself credit. Celebrate what’s working. Prioritise what matters. Lean on your team. Take care of yourself. And take each day as it comes.
