The holiday season often brings joy and a sense of relaxation, but for many professionals, it can be challenging to stay focused when it seems like everyone else is on vacation. Distractions are plentiful, and maintaining productivity can feel like an uphill battle. It’s hard to get into work mode when it feels like everyone is sipping umbrella drinks on a beach or sipping cinnamon stick drinks at a ski lodge, while you trudge into work after getting slushed by that bus that almost ran you over. Never fear! We are sharing some strategies to help you stay productive – maybe even have a little fun – so you meet your deadlines and set the stage for a successful new year.
Practical Strategies
Embrace the holidays without losing focus
- Set clear goals and priorities. Begin by outlining your key objectives and priorities for the holiday period. List everything you want to get done in this time period, prioritize the most urgent and most important (these are not always the same), estimate the time to finish, and time block your schedule accordingly. If you want even more insight into your routines, this may be a good time to track the time it takes to perform a myriad of repeating tasks. It will help you better understand where your time goes and how you may shave off some time here and there.
- Create a structured schedule. While the office may be quieter during the holidays, maintaining a structured schedule is crucial. Stick to your regular working hours and allocate specific time slots for different tasks. A well-organized routine helps combat procrastination and keeps you accountable for your work. Remember: when at work, focus on work. It’s tempting to finish some last-minute online shopping, peruse Pinterest, or refresh Instagram a million times, but it won’t help you meet your deadlines. Get out that priorities list and start checking things off.
- Minimize distractions. Identify and minimize potential distractions in your work environment. Turn off non-essential notifications, close unnecessary browser tabs, and communicate your focused work times to colleagues. By creating a distraction-free zone, you can enhance your concentration and overall productivity. One of the best investments for avoiding distractions is noise-canceling headsets or earbuds. They are available at varying price points and quality, but I’ve found that even inexpensive ones help a great deal, especially when paired with my preference of background noise and/or music.
Technology can be your friend
- Utilize productivity tools. Take advantage of productivity tools and apps that can help streamline your work processes. From task management platforms to time-tracking applications, these tools can enhance efficiency and keep you organized, even when the office is less bustling.
- Embrace remote work opportunities. You may work full-time in a corporate office or work a hybrid schedule. You may want to ask your supervisor if you could work remotely during the holiday season. This is not possible at every job, but working from home can be a more controlled environment than a separate office. Now that so many offices are already set up for some remote work, it is technologically easier than ever to work remotely, if your company approves it.
Work toward a work-life balance
- Take breaks mindfully. Recognize the importance of breaks in maintaining focus and preventing burnout. Use your breaks mindfully—step away from your workstation, engage in a short physical activity, or practice relaxation techniques. Returning to your tasks with a refreshed mind can significantly boost productivity. If it’s difficult for you to return from breaks on time, create a work-break schedule to help you re-energize and re-focus when it’s work time. A popular approach is the Pomodoro Technique, and all you need is a timer – a phone timer, your oven timer, or even special Pomodoro timer apps.
- Communicate boundaries. Clearly communicate your availability and boundaries to colleagues. While it’s essential to collaborate, setting clear expectations regarding your working hours and availability during the holiday season helps manage others’ expectations and allows you to maintain a healthy work-life balance. If colleagues are used to you responding to emails or texts at all hours, let them know you will not be doing so during the holidays, and what those times are. It can also help you continue those boundaries into your normal work life so that you aren’t working 24/7.
- Take a few days off. Did you know that approximately 46 percent of U.S. workers don’t use all their paid time off? No wonder so many of us are burnt out, over-tired, and cranky! You may not be able to take vacation time during the winter holidays, but can you fit in a day or two before or after the holidays – or both? You could spend the time shopping with friends and family, taking the family to a movie, hosting a dinner party, going away for a few days, etc. Taking some time off around the holidays can help you handle those days when it feels like everyone but you is on vacation.
Not so practical (but fun!) strategies
- Pretend your home office is a ski lodge…or beach. Transform your home office into a virtual ski lodge. Deck the walls with fake snow, hang ski equipment on the coat rack, and casually mention your “ski breaks” during video calls. Don’t forget to wear your imaginary ski goggles for added effect. If you’re more about beach vibes, hang some beachy towels and throws on your wall, put a Hawaiian shirt on the dog, and put umbrellas in your hot coffee or tea.
- Embrace Winter Wardrobe Extravaganza. Dress for success by donning your most festive winter attire. Think Santa hats, elf shoes, or even a full-on snowsuit. Instead of just wearing an ugly sweater, add similar pants and socks. Or maybe wear all green and wrap yourself in twinkle lights. Bonus points if you convince your cat to wear matching accessories during video calls.
- Introduce “Yeti Mode” for video calls. Attend video calls with a strategically placed yeti stuffed animal in the background. Occasionally refer to your “office companion” and share anecdotes about your yeti’s excellent project management skills. Make sure he is in a different spot for each meeting and claim you aren’t moving him.
- Embrace festive virtual backgrounds. Spice up your virtual meetings with festive backgrounds. Choose between a winter cabin retreat, a bustling ski resort, or the International Space Snow Station. Or you can always upload your own photo. You can pretend you have a perfectly decorated holiday home behind you when you still have Halloween decorations up in December. No one will know.
Final thoughts
Navigating the holiday season at work can be a delicate balancing act, but with strategic planning and a proactive mindset, you can stay productive and make the most of this time. Don’t forget to have fun and embrace the festive spirit while maintaining focus on your professional goals. By setting clear objectives, utilizing technology effectively, and establishing healthy work habits, you’ll not only meet your work commitments but also set the foundation for a successful and productive year ahead.
Do you need help meeting your project deadlines over the holidays? Contact us to learn more about how our writers, designers, and consultants can make your holidays sparkle!
Related Blogs
Planning Ahead: Combining Work and Fun During the Holidays
The Funny Side: Holiday Celebrations when you Work from Home
Strategies for Remote Meetings
Resources
Kojic, Marija. “How to stay focused when working during the holidays. Clockify. 6/13/22. Accessed 11/14/23. https://clockify.me/blog/productivity/stay-focused-during-holidays/
