It’s that time of year again where your social calendar is just as full as your work calendar. Do you use all of your hard earned PTO time to catch up? Do you blow off a couple parties to catch up on work? How do you manage not to forget anything? Below are 5 tips on how to stay sane, get everything done, and attend all the gatherings you want during the holiday season.
DON’T OVERCOMMIT
I hear from friends all the time that they have to leave a holiday party early to attend another meeting. If you don’t have enough time to enjoy both gatherings, choose one. It is okay to turn down an invitation! People understand that someone else is probably throwing a party the same day as theirs. Pick a few days out of the month to commit strictly to your volunteer groups. Dedicating days to a special task will help keep your stress levels to a minimum.
TURN OFF NOTIFICATIONS & TURN ON THE JAMS
When you get to work in the morning, turn your social media notifications and group chats off. Most of us have our phones staring at us all day and if notifications keep going off, they just become a constant distraction. Many studies have shown how music can improve productivity and the same goes for the holiday season. Turning on some holiday jams can help keep the holiday spirit going and get the work done.
LISTS
Honestly, I don’t know how anyone would survive without making lists to get through the day. I recommend keeping lists on your phone instead of on paper. This prevents forgetting where you placed it or what pocket you shoved it in. I guarantee you always know where your phone is. Utilizing your phone calendar can be a life saver as well. This is a great way to make sure you are not overcommitting to events, too!
TAKE A FEW DAYS OFF
Sometimes we all need some time off to keep ourselves sane. Maybe some relatives are coming into town and you only have that day to see them. If you are able to take the time off, use that PTO! If you know that you are not going to have another time to get some shopping done, take the afternoon or day off and commit to getting it done that day. No one is going to shame you for taking a day to yourself. In fact, you might encourage others to do the same which could boost the mood/atmosphere at work!
REFOCUS AT LUNCH
This is your time to relax, take a break, reset, and prioritize goals for the day. Turn your notifications back on for that hour. Mark off what you have accomplished so far that day and make a plan on what to tackle that afternoon. A lot of people think skipping their lunch will help them get ahead on things during the day, but really it’s healthy to take a break and recharge. After lunch, you’ve had time to decompress, get some food in your system, and get a better handle on the rest of your day.
Just remember the holidays are supposed to be a joyful time of year! Don’t stress yourself out on trying to please everyone and tackle every gathering.
Happy Holidays!
Sara Smith, Operations Assistant
Sara joined AurStaff in August 2018 as the Operations Assistant. Sara is from Minden, NE but moved to Omaha to attend college at University of Nebraska at Omaha. She graduated in May with her bachelor’s degree in Human Resource Management. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, hanging out with friends and family, and working out.
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