With the arrival of the holiday season, companies often face the challenge of maintaining productivity amid a flurry of festive distractions. These tips helps boost the productivity of the employees during festive season.
With the arrival of the holiday season, companies often face the challenge of maintaining productivity amid a flurry of festive distractions. Often, social events and family commitments come in the way of workplace productivity this time of the year. Employees tend to take more time off, leading to disruptions in normal workflows and operations. Besides, late-night festivities and holiday travel can result in workers feeling more tired and less energetic during working hours. Lastly, with holiday celebrations intermixed with work obligations, some workers may even struggle to set boundaries during the festive season.
Increased distractions in an office space and social obligations can definitively impact productivity levels for many. Here are 5 tips for professionals to maintain productivity even during the bustling holiday season.
Since productivity during high-stress periods relies on thoughtful planning, establishing SMART goals is an excellent way to beat the distractions of the festive season. SMART goals are a framework for defining goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
Let’s understand how this framework works with an example. Christina is an entrepreneur aiming to boost sales by January. Her SMART goal framework will look like this:
Specific: She’ll use new sales techniques to improve her work performance.
Measurable: Achieve a 10% increase in sales from the current rate. Maintain a log to track ongoing sales and ensure she stays on course.
Attainable: Her comprehensive understanding of sales makes her well-equipped to accomplish this.
Relevant: Given her business focuses on candles and festive decorations, she realises it’s the opportune time to set and achieve this target.
Time-bound: Initiate advertising on Google and family groups. Aim to realise this target before December ends.
By clearly defining her objectives, benchmarks for success, feasibility, and deadlines using this SMART goal framework, Christina can remain focused on producing results while still enjoying the holidays stress-free. This is how the SMART framework can help you maintain productivity amidst festive chaos.
Creating a realistic schedule is another effective way to maintain productivity amidst the festive chaos. First, review your upcoming personal and professional commitments related to the festivities, estimating the time each obligation requires. Account for work projects and deadlines that coincide with the holidays.
Next, strategically allocate these events on a calendar, blocking time solely dedicated to completing professional tasks without distraction. Also, schedule periods for holiday tasks – gift shopping online, food preparation, travel logistics, etc.
Additionally, build slight buffers between calendar items; if anything urgent comes up, you can accommodate it without excessive schedule rearrangements. The key to an effective schedule is adhering to it. So, follow the calendar blueprint diligently to avoid stress and maximise productivity at work.
The American Psychological Association notes that insufficient time is a major holiday stressor. To tackle this, consider a cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) technique of scheduling “worry-time.”
This technique helps you control when and how often you worry. Take 15-30 minutes each week for this. During this time, write down significant worries without trying to find solutions immediately.
By doing this, you clear your mind, making it easier to focus on your work priorities. Putting worries on paper also helps you gain perspective. For example, if you’re concerned about an unpredictable project delay, focus on what you can control, like having a contingency plan in place. This proactive approach to managing anxiety will help you look at the bigger picture as you step into work and stay productive during the holiday season.
For freelancers or solopreneurs, navigating working from home during the festive season can be challenging. Family members approaching you with questions about decoration, food, and other matters can easily divert your focus from the task at hand.
This is where coworking spaces come in. These rental workspaces offer a range of working environments, from private office spaces and meeting rooms to hot desks, fostering an atmosphere conducive to focused work. Moreover, these spaces allow you to engage with professionals from diverse backgrounds and expertise, share ideas, and even seek assistance when needed.
Fostering a friendly yet competitive environment can increase productivity, so consider organising some friendly team-based competitions that make achieving work goals a little more fun.
For example, you could challenge teams to hit certain benchmarks like a sales quota, completing a project, or hitting another metric. The prizes don’t have to be expensive. The winners could get perks like starting work later in the day, a half-day off, a free lunch, gift cards or a small incentive.
The camaraderie and spirit of good-natured competition can lift the team’s spirits and encourage workers to maintain productivity even amidst the bustle of festivities.
The festive season brings great joy and excitement, infusing a distinctive cheer to the atmosphere both at home and at work. While it is essential to partake in these celebrations, minimising distractions during work hours is crucial for sustaining a work-life balance.
Sustaining productivity during this festive period demands a thoughtful and strategic approach. Enter coworking spaces – dedicated office spaces that unite professionals from diverse backgrounds. Located in the heart of London, GO Bermondsey stands out as an ideal coworking office space, bustling with entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, and freelancers.
Our fully furnished rental workspaces in London boast all the essential amenities and technological requirements, including high-speed internet and video conferencing facilities, ensuring optimal efficiency in your work. Moreover, we offer state-of-the-art meeting rooms, private offices and dedicated desks to cater to your diverse workplace needs. The best part? You can rent these office spaces for as little as an hour or up to five years, giving you the freedom to adapt your workspace to your business’s evolving needs.
GO Bermondsey provides an ideal solution for professionals seeking a focused workspace amidst the festive distractions. Consider GO Bermondsey for a vibrant and productive coworking experience during the holiday months. Your ideal coworking space awaits – book office spaces with GO Bermondsey now!
