Maintaining Work Productivity During the Holidays

The holiday season is upon us which means celebrations, excitement, and unfortunately….. dreaded distractions! It can be increasingly difficult to maintain the same level of productivity at work as we get closer to the end of the year and everyone is in holiday-mode. But there are ways to keep your productivity up AND have fun during this time of year!

Follow our tips below for maintaining productivity in the workplace during the holidays:

Do Important Tasks Early man-1633667_1280

If possible, make sure to do your most important/time-sensitive tasks earlier in the day or week. Afternoons can become distracting as more people (co-workers, clients, customers) flood into the workplace wanting to talk about the holidays and the end of the week can be a write-off for many people so make sure to complete your important tasks as early as possible so that you are not in a time crunch when those less productive times hit.

Start Tasks Early

The week of Christmas and New Years are always the most distracting. If you have tasks that are due during those weeks the best thing you can do is to start working on them as soon as possible during the month of December to avoid any last minute stress brought on by rushing to try and complete those tasks during those two holiday weeks.

Use Work to Steer Conversations

You are likely to participate in many conversations about the holidays. While it is important to engage with your co-workers and have fun during this time of year it will likely take away from your productivity. One thing you can do is try to use these conversations to your advantage by talking with co-workers that you need to speak with regarding work. If you need an answer from someone or help with a task then chit chat with those people and use that information to steer the conversation back towards work and get your workday back on track.

Occasionally Say ‘No’

It is important to participate in workplace holiday parties, activities, etc but if you are feeling overwhelmed by the amount of different events you are being asked to participate in then it is okay to occasionally say no in order to get your work back on track. If no is not an option and you feel pressured to commit to every holiday function than perhaps putting in a shorter appearance and then returning to work would also be beneficial to maintain your productivity.

Leave Room for Fun christmas-cookies-2918172_1280

It is inevitable that this time of year will lead to distractions and ultimately – that is okay! It is a great time of year to celebrate and share with your work family and it is important to participate in the fun. By following the tips above you’ll be able to leave yourself time in the day to enjoy the holiday season and participate in the fun events that come along with it.

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