For many, work during the holiday season is stressful. With family obligations and year-end projects it’s easy to get overwhelmed when the holidays arrive; but there are ways to help you stay focused on your work and keep you on track. Prioritizing your tasks and scheduling your work and personal time separately will help you to maintain focus and productivity while at work. More importantly, remember to take care of yourself with healthy sleep and exercise routines to keep your mental and physical health operating efficiently. By utilizing these strategies, you’ll get your work done efficiently and be able to enjoy your time with family without stressing about work.
There are easy steps to stay focused on your work during the holidays.
Clear your head and prioritize
Productive work can be strongly impacted by your mindset. Clear your mind by writing down everything you need to get done, whether personal or professional, and prioritize. Figure out your most necessary tasks and separate them from those that can wait until next year. Now that you have your list, schedule out your day accordingly. Not only have you created a clear path of productivity, but you’ve also allowed the space to save some of those tasks to be done after the holiday season has passed. This will surely alleviate some of the stress that comes with it.
Separate work and family
Another mindset strategy is to treat each work day like it is any other day during the year. When you’re at work, forget that it is any season in particular and focus on today. In simpler terms, treat any work day just like it is; a “work day” is much less daunting than a “work day during the holidays.” Approaching the thought this way will help to alleviate the hype around the holiday season and keep you on track with your tasks.
Something else to remember is to keep your work and personal life separate. Avoid bringing any work home with you to be able to enjoy your time with family. Using your task list, separate your work tasks and personal tasks to make sure you’re only focusing on work. Then, set a realistic expectation of what you can get done at the office and make a point of when you’ll stop to head home. If you have any vacation days left, take some extra time off to spend with loved ones or to take care of your personal task list. This time management strategy will help you accomplish your to-do list without overwhelming you day by day and will motivate you to stay focused and avoid any distractions while you’re working.
Your health is important
Don’t neglect your health this time of year. Having a steady exercise routine can help to reduce stress allowing you to stay focused. That doesn’t mean you have to go sign up for a gym membership to get fit, but consider something like going for a walk or run every day. Even a small amount of exercise will make a difference. Also try avoiding sugary foods and alcohol that can muddle your focus the next day. What you consume every day affects your energy levels and overall wellbeing. Make an effort to be mindful of what you’re eating.
In addition to exercise and diet, a healthy sleep cycle will assure your body and mind are well rested for work each day. Again, the adjustment here does not have to be drastic. An extra 30 minutes each night will be enough to see a difference in your energy and ability to focus. Keep these routines up and they will improve your productivity not just during the holidays, but year round.
The holiday season is arguably the busiest time of year for work and family. Balancing a heavy workload and holiday festivities can cause stress and lack of focus in the workplace. In order to stay on track with your business goals while also enjoying your family time this season, consider these strategies to help you navigate successfully through the busy months and continue to reap the benefits throughout the year with a newfound focus and productive mindset.
You can find additional articles from Michael Roub at Inflection 360.
Michael Roub
Inflection 360
Michael Roub is an experienced strategic consultant and Managing Partner of Inflection 360. Michael advises businesses and healthcare practices on a wide range of strategic initiatives.
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