For many adults, the holiday season is often tied with a busy schedule and shopping stress. It can be difficult to focus on work or studying for finals while others are going ice skating and watching Christmas movies all day. Here are some tips on how to stay productive during the holiday season, while still being able to enjoy yourself.
Try your best to maintain a routine. The weeks leading up to the holidays can often mess with your normal routine, between impromptu shopping trips or holiday get-togethers with friends. There is no reason to say no to these plans, however, keep the remainder of your day similar to your normal routine to avoid becoming unproductive.
Always update your calendar. Holiday parties with family, friends and colleagues are coming back in full swing this year, which creates the potential to overbook yourself. Keeping track of the dates and times for events will help you to get some work done before letting loose, and will also give you something to look forward to.
Leave work at work. Bringing work home at night to catch up on tasks can be tempting, but it takes away from the joy of the holiday season. So while at work, just focus on work. You can shop online on the couch with some hot cocoa and Netflix after work instead of doing it at your desk during the day.
Get shopping done early. Making a list and checking it twice will help keep you on track with holiday planning. As you mature, the expectation and pressure to give quality gifts to friends and family increases. Make a list for each person in your life that you want to buy a gift for and try to get it done as soon as possible so you are not under pressure in the final weeks of the season.
Try to avoid multitasking. Focusing on one task at a time will avoid burnout, whereas attempting to complete multiple tasks at the same time will decrease energy and motivation. If you have a work task and a holiday planning task, finish one before the next for the best productivity results.
Take some time off to spend quality time with family and friends. With all this information given on maintaining success at work, it is still important to celebrate this time of year with loved ones. Don’t be the person who has no time to decorate the house or do some holiday baking. Find a balance between work and the holidays to be the best version of yourself and have the most stress-free holiday season as possible.
