How to stay motivated at work during the Christmas lull
Many people lose focus and motivation at work during the Christmas period, especially when the office is quiet and managers might be on holiday. It can be really difficult to maintain a high level of productivity when people are out of the office and workflow quietens down for the holiday season.
But this time of year can be crucial to catching up on important, but not urgent, tasks that you might have been putting off since Summer! It’s a good time to have a clear out and assess the way you are currently doing things – so that you can start off the New Year working smarter.
Here are some ideas on how to entertain yourself in a quiet workplace over the festive period:-
- Plan, plan, plan. Create a to-do list and prioritise tasks. Use your online calendar to manage your time effectively or buy a 2017 diary to keep on your desk/in your locker.
- Use the quiet period as a perfect opportunity to complete those unwanted tasks you’ve been putting off for the past few months – filing, filling out forms, store cupboard clear outs, you get the picture!
- Have a good old tidy up! Do you really need to keep all those emails or pieces of paper? Having a clear out will make you feel so much better and more organised. File items in a named folder if you aren’t sure about getting rid of them.
- Do some research. Is there some articles you would benefit from reading or some recent statistics that you could use in your role? Now is your chance to swot up about what’s going on in your sector, new trends for 2017 and how you can relate them to your job.
- Do a review of 2016. What’s worked well and what hasn’t? Look at your level of productivity and successful projects and try to include more of that into your work next year. You might be able to come up with ideas to make you even more productive and focused.
- Avoid distractions – you don’t know who is watching! Don’t use the quiet time in the office to cram in last minute Christmas shopping or as an opportunity to browse the sales. When you are at work, focus on work. You can do the other stuff at home!
- Have a bit of fun. Ask if you can have a radio on quietly in the background or wear a Christmas jumper to cheer up the office. You could even bring in leftover Christmas food to share with your colleagues!
So, a quiet office could actually be a good thing! Think of it as preparation for a brand new year – the calm before the storm! Use it wisely and be as productive as you can so that when you return to work after the New Year you are all set to go!