You have travel plans to make, 28 names left on your shopping list, and three-dozen gluten-free cupcakes to bake for your first grader’s class party. The holiday season is crazy busy, making it extra hard to stay focused at work. In a recent survey, 34 percent of managers found lower productivity in their employees as the holidays approached.
Whether busy schedules, office parties, or the anticipation of “holiday bloat” are to blame, here are five ways to push through and perk up the productivity at work, pre-holiday.
1. Don’t Overdo It
Yes, that’s real whipped cream on the pumpkin pie. And those tree-shaped sugar cookies are homemade and still warm. But, trust us, you’ll get plenty of opportunity to indulge this season; there’s just no point in carb-loading yourself into a desk-bound stupor. You’ll feel sluggish and your productivity will match.
2. Shake It Up
December. The dark, cold days and gut-building potlucks are enough to make even the best workers a bit sluggish. The solution? Instead of chugging drinks beneath decorations, look for fun ways to celebrate that get your blood pumping. Build a snowman or knock down some pins at Bowlmor Lanes. And once you’re back in the office, that energy will get channeled into work. It’s a win/win—even if you miss that seven/ten split.
3. Let Overachievement Wait
And while you’re exercising your better judgment, you might want to put off new initiatives over the holiday season. Your pet project can wait until after New Years. With vacationing coworkers in every department, getting the ball rolling is next to impossible—and your boss is probably too busy to be properly impressed.
4. Look Forward and Prioritize
With so much to do and so little time, the holidays often feel more like a deadline than a celebration. Take a few minutes to recall the reasons for the season and prioritize accordingly. Shift some of your personal obligations to January and February. It’s likely that the others involved won’t scold you so much as thank you—we’re all swamped after all.
5. Move Your Office Party Offsite
It’s hard to get excited about a holiday party when you’re crammed into a conference room or surrounded by computers and photocopiers. Become the office hero by offering to plan the holiday party—and then book it at a fun, offsite venue that takes care of everything for you. At Bowlmor Lanes, for instance, event coordinators make it easy by handling reservations, food, drinks and setup/cleanup. It’s fun, it’s easy, and it chases away the holiday blues: a triple score.
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