Staying Sane During the Holiday Rush: A Veterinary Receptionist’s Guide to Finding Light in a Heavy Season
The holidays in vet med can be beautiful, but they can also be really hard.
This time of year means more time away from your own family so you can care for someone else’s. It brings the joy of new puppies in festive sweaters, but it also brings the heartbreak of seasonal euthanasias that always seem to come in waves. There are heavier emotions, tighter budgets, colder weather, and darker days. And often, the stress clients feel, about money, emergencies, travel, or grief, gets directed straight at the front desk.
As receptionists, we absorb so much of that weight.
Some days it feels like we’re carrying the entire emotional climate of the clinic.
So yes, it can be easy to slip into negativity during the rush.
But this season, I want to challenge you to gently steer yourself back toward positivity whenever you can. Not toxic positivity. Not pretending everything’s fine. Just simple, grounding moments of light.
Here are a few ways to help yourself stay steady, supported, and in control of your mindset during the holiday rush.
1. Celebrate Micro-Wins (Even the Tiny Ones)
On heavy days, you don’t need huge victories.
You need the smallest glimmers of “okay, I did that.”
A difficult client finally softened
You found an urgent-fit in record time
A doctor actually stayed on schedule
You finished your follow-up calls before lunch
Micro-wins stack up quietly, and they give you momentum when everything else feels chaotic.
2. Choose a Daily Anchor
When the season feels overwhelming, grounding yourself becomes essential.
Pick one thing that helps you stay centered:
A warm drink you love
A festive playlist (if you’re a Christmas-music person, lean in!)
A clean, organized reception desk
A few deep breaths before unlocking the door
A morning affirmation: “I can handle today.”
Your anchor reminds you that even on the busiest days, something is still yours.
3. Lead With Compassion, But Protect Your Heart
We take on so much emotional overflow this time of year.
Clients are stressed, stretched, grieving, rushing…and sometimes they hand those feelings to us.
Having a simple, steady script to fall back on can protect your energy:
“I hear you and I’m going to do everything I can to help.”
You don’t have to feel positive to remain grounded and professional.
You just need tools to support yourself when the tank is low.
4. Make Space for Micro-Breaks
Even 30 seconds matters.
Step into the back for quiet.
Drink water (actual water, not coffee).
Share a laugh with your team, it’s medicine.
These tiny resets help you shake off the weight that builds up during long days.
5. Look for the Joyful Moments
Yes, the holidays come with heartbreak.
But they also come with warmth if you let yourself notice it:
A client who brings the team chocolates
A happy reunion you helped facilitate
A team member who cracks a joke at the perfect moment
The first puppy appointment of the day
Someone complimenting your festive scrubs
Joy doesn’t erase the heaviness, it balances it.
6. Share the Light You Do Have
Positivity is contagious.
Wish clients happy holidays.
Compliment a pet’s Christmas bandana.
Tell a coworker you’re grateful for them.
Smile when you can. Laugh when it comes naturally.
Sometimes being the spark for someone else helps relight your own fire.
7. Remember: This Season Is Intense, Not Permanent
The holiday rush feels endless when you’re in it.
But it does end.
The pace slows. The daylight returns. The workload evens out.
Remind yourself:
“This pace is seasonal. It isn’t forever.”
8. Be Gentle With Yourself
This time of year brings out the full spectrum of human emotion; your own and everyone else’s.
You are doing an incredibly important job while navigating incredibly heavy days.
Be proud of the care you give.
Be proud of your emotional strength.
Be proud of the way you show up for clients, pets, and your team, even when your own heart feels tired.
You deserve compassion too.