Posted 12 December 2016 | 1 Comment
We know, we know… it’s difficult to keep concentrating on work, especially with Christmas just around the corner. The lower temperatures and lack of daylight are quickly draining everyone’s energy and, around this time, work seems to trickle along a bit slower than usual.
Going through the daily motions can be a bore, as we crawl our way towards those fairy lights at the end of the tunnel. So how can we keep our own motivation up during the December slog?
Enjoy a more relaxed dress code
If you’re in a customer-facing role, it’s usually necessary to dress to impress. However, many creative businesses already adopt a fairly casual dress code for a more relaxed atmosphere among employees.
No matter how you dress for work, you might find the rules becoming a bit looser as we head towards Christmas. Your workplace might even put on a Christmas jumper day to get everyone in the festive spirit (and looking a bit silly in the process!)
Being a bit more laid-back in your attire can help to put you in a good mood for the day. After all, getting suited and booted everyday can feel like a drag, especially with the mornings getting much darker. Dressing a bit more casually and comfortably helps to put you at ease, giving you some much needed
Embrace the fun activities
Even if you’re normally a bit of a Scrooge, getting involved in some Christmas themed jolliness can help to give your mood and vitality a boost. We’ve already mentioned the possibility of festive knitwear, but there are various other workplace activities most of us are likely to see during December.
Putting up the decorations, sticking on some Christmas tunes and doing an office-wide Secret Santa can do wonders to lift spirits – especially when you think you just can’t be bothered any more. Sometimes taking a quick break from the daily grind is necessary, so why not enjoy the more festive aspects of the season?
And, of course, we’re not forgetting the obligatory end-of-year do. Whether you’re having an after-hours party in the office or you’ve got a table booked in a fancy restaurant, the buzz surrounding your work’s do can keep minds active, making it easier to engage with the tasks at hand.
Appreciate that others might not be up to speed
It’s completely natural for everyone to start winding down a bit at this time of year. Fewer daylight hours can often leave you feeling sluggish, and that pretty much goes for all of us. That’s why things can get a little bit frustrating if you’re relying on something from other colleagues to get on with your own work.
It might be annoying, but we simply have to accept that not everybody will be up to their regular speed now until January. Just like you, everyone else is looking forward to a few relaxing days off at the end of the month. Similarly, they’re probably a little distracted by making plans for the big day and stressing out over all the shopping they’ve got left to do!
You may even find that customer or client contacts start to dry up a little bit as everyone starts to go quiet. Have faith that other people will get to you in their own time and (hopefully) they won’t leave things too late. Very soon, though, it’ll be time to curl up by the fire, have a cheeky mulled wine and enjoy the holidays… however brief they may be!
