The Strange In-Between

There’s something undeniably strange about the days between Christmas and New Year’s.

Time feels soft and structure typically loosens. The calendar technically says “workday,” while your reality is definitely saying otherwise.

If you’re a mom with kids home, routines are out the window. If you work from home, the lines between personal and professional blur even more in these days with them running wild with their new Christmas gifts.

And if you’re someone who cares deeply about your work, your growth, and your people then this stretch can feel oddly disorienting.

You’re not fully resting. You’re not fully working.
Yet... You’re somewhere in between.

And that’s not a problem to solve. But instead, it’s a season to work with.

Harmony Over Balance

I love the word "harmony" instead of "work life balance". This is a term I first heard framed this way by Clara Capano and I love it because it really tells the truth.

Balance implies equal parts, clean edges, perfect conditions while harmony acknowledges the actual reality of our lives.

Right now, harmony might look like:

• A laptop open while kids play nearby

• Short bursts of focused work instead of long, uninterrupted days

• Letting go of ideal productivity and choosing presence instead

This season has it's own rhythm, listen to it.

Why These Weeks Matter More Than We Think

Culturally, we treat this time like it's some type of void where there's nothing going on. Like it's something to “get through” before real life starts again in January.

But that’s a mistake.

These in-between weeks are powerful because they strip away all of the extra nonsense.
The urgency fades as the performative hustle pauses.
You can actually hear yourself think again.

For growth-oriented people, this is where clarity can truly form.

It doesn't always come in the form of the big planning sessions or in the goal-setting worksheets.

But instead it comes in noticing...

• What actually felt good this year

• What drained you more than you admitted

• What you’re no longer willing to carry forward

Growth doesn’t only happen in motion, it most definitely requires and happens in reflection.

Working While Life Is Happening

When you’re working from home with kids around, your “focus” looks different.

And instead of fighting that, there’s an invitation here to redefine productivity.

Maybe this isn’t the week for output... instead, maybe it’s the week for:

• Refinement

• Integration

• Letting ideas land without forcing execution

This is where harmony becomes a leadership skill, especially for parents.

You’re modeling that meaningful work and real life don’t have to compete. They can coexist.

A Gentle Reframe for This Season

If you’re feeling behind, unfocused, or oddly emotional right now please know that nothing has gone wrong.

You’re in a liminal space.
A threshold.
A closing and an opening happening at the same time.

Instead of asking: “How do I get more done this week?”

Try asking: “What is this season preparing me for?”

Because these quieter days... you know the messy ones, the unscheduled ones, the in-between ones... are often where the most important shifts begin.

Not loudly and not publicly... But deeply.

And that’s growth, too.