January can be a tough month, especially after the excitement and joy of December. The post-holiday winter blues is real, and it’s common to feel sluggish, unmotivated, and disconnected from your goals. But it’s exactly this time of year that you need to refocus and get back on track.
It’s hard to make it through the workday without hearing the word busy. People talk about how they are too busy to take on extra tasks or lose track of the day because of how full it is. However, being busy doesn’t always mean being productive.
For most employees, the last few weeks of December are dedicated to holiday parties, time off, or low-productivity days in the office. Very few people schedule meetings because no one would attend and those who are available often work on low-priority tasks. When not at work, people are traveling, enjoying festive events, or simply relaxing. It’s no wonder that upon returning to work, some experience a case of holiday hangover. Mild or more severe, we all need a minute to get back into the swing of things.
Managing employees during the winter holidays can be difficult. You want your team to rest after a long year of hard work but have a hard time juggling dozens of time off requests. You want to celebrate your team’s accomplishments but also need your staff to stay focused and hit their deadlines. It’s a delicate balancing act that stresses many leaders.
No. It’s a simple, small, two-letter word and yet so many people have trouble with it. One of the hardest places to say no and set healthy boundaries is the workplace. Some people fear saying no to their boss because that person is an authority figure. Others don’t want to say it to their coworkers for fear that they won’t be seen as a team player.
Summer is a time for enjoying long days and relaxing vacations. Even the most productive offices slow down during the summer as employees and clients alike take time off from work and instead, enjoy extra hours with family and friends. However, now that the days are getting shorter and kids are returning to school, it’s time to refocus. Doing so when working in a hybrid environment, however, can be challenging. Use these steps to refresh your work routine so you can stay productive as you ease into fall.
You might be surprised at how powerful a positive attitude can be in the workplace. Studies have shown that positive employees are more productive, more energetic, and less likely to need sick time than their unhappy counterparts. A positive outlook on life helps with stress management, makes you a better collaborator, and enables you to build a strong support circle in the workplace.
Team meetings are an inevitable part of the average employee’s schedule. But regardless of their frequency, just how productive are those meetings? And how many prove to be pointless meetings?
Back in 2005, a British psychologist named Dr. Cliff Arnall created a formula to establish the third Monday in January as the peak of seasonal depression. He based this calculation on numerous variables including the weather, salary, debt, low motivation, post-holiday gloom, attempts to quit a job, and a sense of urgency to take action. An this is how Blue Mondays became an instant hit.
This season is hectic and there’s often no way around it. That mad rush to complete all of your end-of-year tasks while keeping up with holiday parties, office events, and family plans can feel nearly impossible. There’s a house to decorate, gifts to shop for, meals to plan out, and guests to entertain. And that’s on top of your normal workload. How do you balance it all, while holding onto sanity in the process? Let’s follow the magic of the checklist.
