As the holidays approach and vacations grow near, productivity often takes a hit at the end of the year. While some of this can be expected and anticipated, there are subtle shifts you can make in order to remain productive throughout the end of the year and the holiday season.
Use your Headphones
More and more offices are open floor plans these days. While that works great for collaboration, it is not always conducive to productivity. If your coworkers become too loud for you to focus, put your headphones in! You don’t even have to be listening to anything, but it will signal to others that you are unavailable and it will help to drown out the noise. Airpods are a nice accessory too, especially if you don’t want to bother with the cords! If you are working on something that is tedious, try listening to a podcast. This will keep you engaged and lively.
Maintain your Routine
Throughout the rest of the year, you have found a routine that helps you reach maximum productivity. Don’t abandon that now! Stick with your regular routine in order to keep your productivity levels normal. Wake up at the same time, get to work at the same time and go about your day as if the holidays are not right around the corner. The more you veer from your routine, the less productive you will be.
Create Small, Accomplishable Goals
As much as we want to be as productive as usual during this busy season, sometimes that is unrealistic. If you are feeling pulled in many different directions and having a hard time maintaining productivity, start breaking down tasks into smaller, more manageable items. For example, maybe you have a project due by the end of the week. Break the project up into small, manageable tasks on your calendar. That way, you can cross them off as you go, which will help to make you feel productive. By the end of the week, you will have a finished product!
As the end of the year approaches, people begin to relax and unwind. All of us deserve a break, but there is still work to be completed. Practice the methods above to maintain your productivity levels, even at the end of the year.