As daylight hours shrink and colder weather sets in, many professionals find their motivation and overall mood taking a hit. The darker months can make it harder to stay energized, focused and positive—especially when balancing heavy workloads and personal responsibilities.
Fortunately, cultivating some small, intentional habits can make a big difference in sustaining both mental and physical well-being throughout the season. Below, 20 members of Forbes Coaches Council share their top tips for maintaining a positive outlook and healthy energy levels all winter long.
1. Practice Gratitude And Generosity
The most important hack for an upward mental spiral is to practice gratitude and generosity. Daily practices of gratitude lead to uplifted mental health, improved social connections and reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety. Generosity promotes feelings of happiness and satisfaction; acts of kindness trigger endorphins, creating a “helper’s high.” – Brian Bacon, Oxford Leadership Group
2. Eat Nutrient-Rich Foods
Winter’s reduced sunlight depletes nutrients, affecting mood and cognition. Combat this with vitamin D-rich foods like salmon, dairy and yogurt that also provide omega-3 fatty acids to optimize brain function and reduce inflammation. Start with protein-rich breakfasts, and pack nuts, seeds or eggs for strategic snacking to maintain steady energy and focus. – Carolyn Hillegass, The Outcomes Coach
3. Exercise
I tell my clients that exercise is no longer a luxury—it is a necessity. Anyone, like me, impacted by less sun in the sky can benefit from some good exercise. Cardio, walking, swimming, lifting or whatever keeps you in motion—ideally not replying to texts and emails—will lift your spirits and have a lasting effect. – Brenda Abdilla, Management Momentum LLC
4. Shift To An ‘Inside’ Mindset Of Internal Growth
As the weather shifts and we naturally move indoors, we are presented with a unique and valuable opportunity: to embrace an “inside” mindset and focus on cultivating our internal selves. This transition encourages us to temporarily shift our focus from the high-energy, outdoor activities of summer and redirect that energy into deep, foundational personal growth—a productive hibernation. – Donna Grego-Heintz, UpWords
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5. Embrace The Concept Of ‘Hygge’
Embrace the concept of “hygge” (pronounced “hue-gah” or “hoo-guh”), a Scandinavian philosophy that promotes coziness and the enjoyment of life’s pleasures. In other words, bring the comfort of winter to your office and make it a place you enjoy. Move your workspace near a window, use winter-scented fragrances and incorporate plants. To support your social well-being, foster connections through in-person meetings, quick connections or lunches. – Jaclynn Robinson, Nine Muses Consulting, LLC
6. Start Your Day With Sunlight
Anchor your day in light. Get outside for even 15 minutes of morning daylight. This simple habit helps reset the circadian rhythm, boosts mood-regulating serotonin and sustains energy. In dark months, light isn’t just atmosphere; it’s biology and a natural antidepressant. – Dr. Sunil Kumar, Dr Sunil Kumar Consulting
7. Honor Your Natural Rhythms
Fall and winter are an invitation to honor your natural rhythms. The fewer daylight hours are a forcing function you can leverage for radical prioritization: less, but better. Morning sunlight in your retinas and on your skin within your first hour after waking, combined with eliminating blue light and screens in the evening, is a modern classic recommendation for good reason. – Marissa Brassfield, CTOx
8. Give Teams Grace To Get Good Results
The first workday after the clocks fall back is always sluggish—our bodies feel it. Be a super-boss: Let your team start an hour late. They’ll thank you with sharper focus and better energy. Leadership isn’t just strategy—it’s knowing when to give grace to get results. – Nick Leighton, Exactly Where You Want To Be
9. Protect The First Hour Of Your Day
My winter hack is this: Guard your first hour like it is sacred. Before emails, before headlines, before your mind becomes someone else’s to-do list: Move your body, expose your face to light—even artificial light—and choose one intention that sparks you. Momentum does not care if the sun is out. It cares if you are. Then, say six words that connect to your purpose, and let them sink in. – Thomas Lim, Centre for Systems Leadership (SIM Academy)
10. Let Your Spirit Shine; Savor Each Moment
Even as winter shortens the light, let your spirit shine brighter. Protect your peace, savor each fleeting moment and step into the sun’s embrace. Breathe in gratitude, move with purpose and give yourself the gift of stillness. When positivity fuels your heart, you radiate warmth that melts the cold and illuminates others, proving light lives within, not just in the sky. – Prof. Dr. Parin Somani, London Organisation of Skill Development
11. Schedule One Routine Task To Create Momentum
Find one task that will keep you focused on moving forward and schedule it in your routine. It can be something as simple as creating one post on social media and engaging with responders. – Michelle Martin Bonner, AMMEMPOWERMENT
12. Check In On Your Overall Well-Being
Now is a great time to check in on your overall well-being. Consider the key areas of your life: work, relationships, mental and physical health, finances, hobbies and community or spiritual life. Ask yourself: “Which areas have I been neglecting, and what small steps can I take to nurture them?” Improving well-being isn’t about overnight change, but about making small, consistent adjustments over time. – Megan Malone, Truity
13. Turn Inward With Somatic Practices
When daylight wanes, turn inward with somatic practices. Try a five-minute body scan paired with slow, lengthened exhalations to calm the nervous system. Gentle shaking or stretching releases stagnant energy, while placing a hand on your heart or belly restores grounding. These small, embodied pauses sustain mood and energy regardless of the weather, all winter long. – Sharon Washington, Sharon Washington Consulting, LLC
14. Get Clear On Priorities; Align Your Expectations
Getting very clear on your priorities and ensuring your expectations—from yourself, your boss or your family—match your reality is a tip for every season of the year. Make sure that you’re being honest with yourself and not taking on more than is humanly possible, which we often do. Get some feedback from a friend or mentor on whether your to-do list is manageable or not. – Ellen Whitlock Baker, EWB Coaching
15. Prioritize An Evening Wind-Down Routine
A consistent evening wind-down routine can be a powerful strategy for winter wellness, healthy energy levels and maintaining a positive mood. Limiting screens, preparing for the next day and engaging in relaxing activities at the same time nightly can stabilize circadian rhythms, improve sleep quality and sustain energy and mood through the darker months. Exercise and socializing also help. – Sandra Buatti-Ramos, Rezi
16. Pay Attention To Your Energy Cues
Shorter daylight hours drain many of us, and they aren’t just personal—they’re also performance leaks. Leaders who ignore their energy cues in this moment lose clarity and presence. Audit your energy like a P&L: Cut back on what’s draining you and double down on what fuels you. Anchor to at least one nonnegotiable in your routine. That’s how you lead with steady energy when others fade. – Mel Cidado, Breakthrough Coaching
17. Have Winter Buddies
Don’t fight the dark alone—schedule workouts, walks or check-ins with a partner or team. When your energy dips, external commitment keeps you moving. The science is simple: Shared routines create momentum you wouldn’t generate solo. In winter, discipline fades, but community helps sustain it. – Carlos Hoyos, Elite Leader Institute
18. Program Yourself To Align With The Season
Early light signals the start of the day; late light reminds us it’s soon time to sleep. Instead of fighting the season, program yourself to align with it. Use the brighter hours for focus and movement, and welcome the darker hours for rest and renewal. Leadership begins with rhythm: better rest, better use of the day and better energy for those who count on you. Continually optimize—it feels better. – Julien Fortuit, Julien Fortuit Agency
19. Leverage Reflective Tools
Winter’s shorter days can actually be a gift for professionals: They invite us to slow down, think deeply and create space for strategic clarity. One powerful way to stay energized is to use reflective tools like journaling, vision mapping or a one-page personal plan to realign with what truly matters. Pair this with intentional habits like setting micro-goals to spark meaningful progress. – Veronica Angela, CONQUER EDGE, LLC
20. Treat Winter Like A Leadership Retreat
Treat winter like a leadership retreat, minus the trust falls. I encourage high-functioning professionals to schedule joy like they schedule meetings. If your calendar has room for quarterly reviews but not sunlight or movement, you’re not managing energy, you’re micromanaging burnout. Also: Invest in a sun lamp. It’s cheaper than a seasonal existential crisis. – Dr. Ari McGrew, Tactful Disruption®