Keeping your productivity high during the holidays is not easy. Daylight savings generally triggers a mental note to slow down. The days are visibly shorter and fatigue seems harder to fight. We’re focused on other things and as business slows down, we tend to lose momentum at work.
It’s only natural to want to kick back and relax. But you need to be aware. Slowing down too much can have a negative effect.
Eventually, you may end up further behind than you intended.
Instead of being relaxed, you’ll be stressed about all the things you didn’t get done.
You certainly want to be sure you find ways to recharge and reset. But if you’re interested in balance and keeping your productivity high during the holidays, follow these four tips:
1. Eat That Frog
This philosophy, based on the book by the same name, suggests that you get your most dreaded work done and out of the way early in the day. You may ask why you’d need to do that during a period when you seemingly have more time on your hands. The answer is simple. Mistaking “extra time” for a good reason to procrastinate isn’t a good strategy and can often backfire, leaving you with a lengthy to-do list. Instead, eat that frog so the rest of your day can be flexible to manage as you see fit.
2. Use Reminders
You’ve got a lot going on this time of year. Between work demands and personal obligations, things can get lost in the shuffle. Put Siri to good use. Creating reminders on your smart phone can be invaluable. Use it to remind yourself to do anything from calling a client back to adding someone to your holiday gift list.
3. Stick to Your Routines
With the colder weather coming in and the dreariness of seeing daylight only on your commute to work, it’s natural to want to go into hibernation mode. But the more you can stick to your exercise and other daily routines, the better. Routines keep our lives in ordered motion and decrease stress…And you know how stressful the holidays can be!
4. Be Merry in Moderation
There’s a reason gym attendance is at an all-time high in January. From the end of October through New Year’s Eve, offices and homes are stocked with obscenely more caloric temptations than would be considered respectable. Couple that with an “I’ll start going to the gym next week” attitude and excesses in sweets and libations start to take their toll. It’s hard to have the energy to eat that frog when you’re still recovering from overindulgence the day before!
