Like our transitions through alert levels, our stress and energy levels have fluctuated this year.
It's left a common feeling on Wellington’s Oriental Bay as we head off on our summer holidays.
1 NEWS spoke to many Wellingtonians who are worn out.
"It’s been an exhausting year and full noise but [I'm] ready for a break," one person said.
Clinical psychologist Jacqui Maguire says the fatigue we're suffering is understandable.
"In 2020 you have to add on top, you know, continual uncertainty complexity. Zoom-fatigue, pandemic-fatigue, mask-fatigue, constant change.
"And when we are living through that and our body is, therefore, on high alert all the time. That in itself is very physically draining.”
Our Prime Minister knows more than most how draining it’s been.
"I think every single New Zealander has found 2020 a pretty tiring year and everyone therefore deserves a break."
But that’s a luxury not possible for our Prime Minister - she'll be on call.
Hard too for supermarket staff. On the front line under lockdown, Countdown’s Kiri Hannifin told 1 NEWS they are now snowed under with the festive season.
"Now I’m focused on just making sure our team are well enough to get through Christmas because we are seeing quite high levels of mental health and mental distress."
That’s been made harder by an increase in abuse from customers, and even assaults.
"I think Kiwis are tired and we have had enough. It’s been a big year and stress levels are rising."
Psychologists recommend the four Rs to recharging:
"I’m really encouraging people to not take the mentality of scrap 2020 and start 2021 afresh. I think there [are] learnings from this year that we need to take."
Those lessons are already paying off for the Wellingtonians 1 NEWS spoke to.
"I had some mental health issues at the beginning. But, now I’ve started my own business, done a degree in animal care, and here we are," one person said.
"It’s been a year that I have personally grown quite a lot," another person said.
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