Nobody wants get stuck at the office over the holidays, but by finding other ways to celebrate and making the most of your time at work, you can survive the experience without feeling like you are on punishment.
Working over the holidays is one of the things we dread as professionals. When the holidays arrive, we reminisce about the old days when we were kids and enjoyed the holidays that seemed like an eternity off from school. But now, as grown adults, we realize the need to work and at the same time try to enjoy all the festivities.
It is no secret that we would all want to spend time with family and friends during holidays, but that does not mean that you have to sacrifice work-related projects, tasks and deadlines that you have sitting at your desk.
Here are a few tips on how you can make working over the holidays a little bit more fun;
Plan ahead
Of course, effective prior planning can really help to take away some stress from your plate. The more tasks and duties you can get accomplished now, the less you’ll need to worry about when the holiday season is actually here.
So, sit down with your calendar to get a solid handle on all of the big projects and assignments you have coming up in the next couple of months. Then, prioritize those tasks based on their deadlines and priority.
Having these future tasks and assignments physically written down will keep you focused on your long-term goals—and not just the things that need to get done tomorrow. Plus, getting these things started early will free up at least a little bit of your time when the holidays are here!
Make it count
What’s worse than working on a holiday? Working on a holiday and being so down, distracted, or unfocused that you don’t accomplish a single thing.
It can be hard to be productive if you’re the only one in the office, or if you really want to be out celebrating with the rest of the world. But, believe me, you’ll feel much better about being at work if you make the most out of your time while at work.
Write a list of tasks you hope to accomplish during the day and cross them off one-by-one as you complete them. Not only will you feel productive, but the time is guaranteed to go by much faster than when you spend the day imagining the food you could be enjoying.
Nobody wants to get stuck at the office over the holidays, but by finding other ways to celebrate and making the most of your time at work, you can survive the experience without feeling like you are on punishment
Avoid social media
Now many will ask, “But why?” Here’s a valid reason. So you’re at the office during the holidays, many of your colleagues are on leave and you’re feeling a bit lonely and bored. Your natural tendency might be to log on to Facebook or kill a little time scrolling through Twitter or Instagram photos on your phone.
That’s distracting. Looking at the pictures of everyone else celebrating with their families and relaxing after a big feast will only dampen your mood. Avoid social media and instead, when you need a break, go for a short walk or grab a snack. You’ll stay focused and positive and you’ll avoid falling victim to that “poor me” feeling that comes from looking at pictures of all your friends having fun without you.
Spread the holiday spirit
Let’s face it—there’s no way around it, you still need to work during the holidays. Perhaps you get a few days out of the office, but it will never compare to that long, relaxing break you got when you were in school.
Although while heading into work when you feel like you should be at home with family relaxing can be demoralizing, there’s no rule stating that you can’t incorporate some holiday cheer into your normal day at work. Bring in some holiday treats for your colleagues, do lunch together or share gifts with those who are also in the workplace that are also in the same situation as you.
Anything you can do to get in the mood of the holiday season is sure to boost your mood.
Maintaining an adequate balance between your personal and professional lives is always a challenge. But, it can become extra difficult during the holiday season, when you feel an increased desire for more personal and family time. Try out these tips to stick to all of your work deadlines, while still being able to enjoy the holidays!
