Staying motivated at work is tricky at times, regardless of the time of year. However, the holiday season is often one of the most challenging when it comes to maintaining motivation. Often, the holiday season is hectic. Shopping, gatherings, travel, school breaks, end-of-year tasks, and more can make it hard to remain focused.
Fortunately, staying motivated at work during the hectic holiday season is possible. Here are three ways to do it.
- Embrace Single-Tasking
For the vast majority of professionals, multitasking is a myth. Most people can’t effectively handle several things at a time. As a result, you aren’t working on multiple responsibilities simultaneously; you’re just rapidly shifting between tasks. Every time you make that shift, there’s a disruption and a delay, as you have to reacclimate yourself to the new activity before you begin. As a result, it’s often inefficient and leaves you feeling even more scattered.
If you want to stay motivated, embrace single-tasking. Choose one activity you need to tick off your work to-do list, and give it 100 percent of your attention. You’ll be able to wrap it up in less time, reduce error rates, and maintain a sense of balance. Plus, there’s the sense of achievement that comes with completing an activity, which can give your motivation a boost.
- Set Boundaries
One reason why the holiday season is so hectic is that your personal responsibilities typically increase significantly. If your workload is also rising, then you might feel stretched to the brink. Couple that with disruptions at work from family or interruptions at home due to work, and getting anything done may seem impossible.
Fortunately, you can bring some order to the equation by setting boundaries. Let your family and friends know you’re unavailable during work hours for anything but genuine emergencies, such as those involving someone’s health. Then, silence your personal smartphone and place your phone in a drawer until your break. Also, give suitable contacts your office number for legitimate emergencies, giving you peace of mind.
After that, it’s wise to set boundaries with your boss, too. Discuss after-hours expectations, ensuring there are appropriate limits that let you disconnect from your workplace to a reasonable degree. That ensures your time is genuinely yours when you’re off the clock, which makes handling your personal responsibilities easier. As a result, it’s easier to stay motivated and focused when you are at work.
- Don’t Overcommit
While volunteering for an upcoming work project or agreeing to handle a holiday-related task for a family member may seem in spirit with the season, you may run the risk of over-committing. Taking on too many responsibilities leaves you overburdened, which ultimately leads to stress. As stress builds, motivation typically tumbles.
Make sure you only agree to take on new projects at work or at home if you can reasonably manage them. If you have any doubts, don’t immediately add the tasks to your plate. For work responsibilities, speak with your manager about your concerns and workload to see if you can decline or reduce your workload in other areas to make space. At home, a simple “no” may be sufficient. Then, you can give what remains your all, making it easier to stay motivated.
Ultimately, the tips above can help you keep your motivation high at work. If you’d like to find out more, The Squires Group wants to hear from you. Contact us today.
