Stay motivated even as you work through
What’s worse than working over the holidays when many of your colleagues are away? Feeling so unproductive that you don’t accomplish a single thing.
Director of HR consultancy Positive People Allan Pettersen says the first step towards staying motivated over the next 10 days is to change your mindset.
‘‘Look for positives in every situation,’’ he says.
The beach or the park may be where you want to be instead of serving your 50th customer. But the beach and the park will be just as busy as your shop floor.
Working when everyone is away means you can plan your next holiday, when everyone is back at work. You’ll be applying in the off-season and will have accumulated more leave by then too, Pettersen says.
He also recommends staying away from social media to help curb any resentment for your job.
If an idle mind is the devil’s workshop, the second step is about setting goals.
Whether your job requires you to serve customers during sale season or be stuck in an office, keep yourself busy by setting goals, Pettersen says.
There’s nothing more satisfying than crossing off your to-do list or hitting a sales target on the weekend before New Year’s Eve.
‘‘When people are away, the distractions are fewer. So make a plan of what you need to achieve, set some deadlines and just focus on achieving them,’’ he says.
Workers should remember to pace themselves with tasks to keep motivation and productivity levels up throughout the silly season.
Employers also are responsible for creating a work environment that doesn’t make employees feel like doing their job iss a chore, Pettersen says.
‘‘Keep your staff happy and pay them their entitlements … Employers must make it palatable for workers to want to work. Show them appreciation and make them feel valued so they don’t feel like they’re being taken advantage of.’’
He says employers that offered flexibility during the year would help workers feel more inclined to work during the holidays.
‘‘If you love your job, you’ll suck it up.’’ –Stuff