As much as we are all the epitome of unwavering diligent industriousness… the festive season seems to have us counting every hour and minute in the lead up to Christmas. Have you witnessed this level of excitement in some from January 1st? They must be nut-crackers! Personally, I’m a bit of a Grinch (boo! hiss! boo!), but I’m not the only one! Some of us lose our productivity not through excitement, but by the saddening affect of shorter days, overhyped consumerism and of course the once-a-year drinkers in the corner of every bar. “We all love your shoes Margaret, honest, please stop crying!”. Ahem… tangent over, we can get down to the 3 ways to stay productive during the festive season.
1. Priorities
Most of us start out with the greatest intentions, especially if you love to list. But listing your tasks can easily get confused as to what should take priority. Carving out a small amount of time to organise your tasks by priority can be immensely beneficial in the long run. Now if only I could take my own advice. What can I say, writing a blog is just way more fun!
2. Compartmentalise
Here we’re going to separate your work life from your home life, especially around the Christmas season. It could be wondering what present to get little Timmy, or which side of your mother-in-law you’re going to get this year? Home life tends to take up a lot of mental energy. Think of work as a distraction from everything else whirring around you, rather than an obstacle getting in the way.
3. Just say “No”
Let’s not turn this into a sitcom holiday special, there are so many social occasions that only come around once a year after all. Though if you have that extra bit of work to do, say no to these events. Even just for the first few hours while you’re taking care of business. You’ll enjoy such events a heck of a lot more when you know you have achieved everything you needed to that day. Use your social life as a reward, there’s nothing like meeting friends and family to get you motivated.
