This time of the year is difficult. We’re tired, it’s been a long year and December leave feels like it’s just out of reach. Staying motivated and focused on your work can sometimes feel impossible but we’re here to tell you that you can do it! You’re nearly there and our expert tips will keep you going as we approach the silly season.

You know that feeling on a Thursday where you’re impatiently waiting for Friday to come so that you can finally let your hair down for the weekend? November is basically the Thursday of the year where you’re eagerly waiting for December to come around the corner. And as we creep past November and into December the impatience grows as your leave days near.

Staying focused on everyday tasks and getting your work done is next to impossible when you’re thinking of an upcoming holiday or what to get your loved ones for Christmas or all the food that’s in store. We could go on and on but let’s get to the point. We’ve identified some fantastic tips to keep you focused and motivated to get through the last stretch of this year.

Explore: How To Be Professionally Successful And Feel It

How to stay motivated and focused

Goals, goals, goals

You’ve definitely heard this one before but setting achievable goals is one of the best ways to remain motivated.

Get out a notebook and write down the goals you’d like to achieve before the end of the year. The trick is to be as specific as possible as well as realistic. You could write goals like meeting all your deadlines before going on leave or wrapping up your final projects (write down exactly what each task is and maybe include the dates you would like them to be completed by).

Be realistic in your goals though, don’t try to squeeze in working towards getting a promotion if you haven’t had the conversation with your manager or worked towards that goal throughout the year. If you write down goals that are unreachable, you’ll end up feeling deflated and demotivated.

Don’t be hard on yourself

It’s been a long year… Scratch that, it’s been a long 2 years! You’re tired (you aren’t alone in that) and you desperately need a break. There is a reason it’s recommended to take a certain amount of leave in a year – we need and deserve it.

If you’re struggling to get through the last few weeks, that’s okay. But make sure that you’re still doing the best that you can to achieve the final goals you’ve set. If your best right now is 60%, then do that but keep going.

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Find ways to re-energise

When you begin to feel your motivation begin to drain, think of ways that will pick your energy back up. Make sure it’s something you enjoy doing though, otherwise, you’re just going to feel as depleted.

These are a few of our ideas for a pick-me-up:

Take a coffee break – step away from your desk and take a break with a delicious cup of coffee or tea and be mindful as you re-energise
Go for a long walk
Make time for a workout – sometimes getting your endorphins flowing is the best thing for you
Meditate
Take regular breaks throughout your day – sitting down and working for 4 hours straight will start to wear you down. Take 10 minute breaks every 30 – 60 minutes.

Have fun!

This can be the best time of the year filled with so much love and excitement as we all work towards the end of the year. Even though it can be a very busy time filled with deadlines and preparing for December, remember to enjoy every minute of it.

When you have a positive attitude towards things, you’re more likely to want to do it rather than feeling loathed to do it.

Try to maintain balance between work and your personal life as you navigate your way through the final weeks of the year.

Teamwork makes the dream work

If you’re really feeling exhausted, remember that you aren’t alone. Reach out to a colleague to help you meet your deadlines or to a loved one if there are personal tasks you’re struggling to make time for.

Working together helps us feel motivated and will lighten the load you may feel. You could also form a little group at work where you do activities together or go on breaks together to help one another remain focused and motivated on finishing the year strong.

Read: How To Bloom Where You Are and Succeed

The end is near

Try to keep in mind that your well-deserved break is right in front of you. This is your final push until you get that much-needed break.

When you remind yourself that you have to remain motivated for only a short while longer, you may feel more inclined to keep going without feeling like you may drown.

This time of the year can feel both exhausting and exhilarating so we understand that your focus and motivation may be starting to dwindle. But you’ve got this! This is your little reminder that it’s the final stretch and with the right goals in mind, you can finish this year strong!

Busy days are pretty unavoidable, especially as we near the end of the year. This time of the year is filled with last-minute deadlines and cramming everything in before going on leave. It’s pretty easy to begin to feel overwhelmed, not to mention exhausted. But we’ve got some amazing hacks to prepare you for an upcoming busy day.

Waking up in the morning knowing you’re about to be snowed under by all the tasks you need to complete with very little time to even breathe is horrible. There’s no way to sugarcoat it. But there are ways of mastering your feelings and tasks without feeling like you’re drowning.

The ability to stay calm, present and productive is valuable on any given day but it’s the tough days where you need these traits the most.

Take it from someone that used to be a Master Procrastinator, there are a few skills I have mastered to keep me calm and focused on my busiest days.

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The importance of staying calm

As mentioned above, busy days are unavoidable and there’s almost no way of getting around the hustle and bustle of the year-end madness. If you approach these overwhelming days stressed and with a negative mindset though, you really aren’t doing yourself any favours.

And yes, that’s definitely easier said than done but you have a very slim chance of being 100% productive when you’re frantic and the chances of making mistakes increases tremendously.

It’s vital to find things that work for you that keep you in a positive and level-headed mindset so that you can completely dominate the day ahead.

Hacks to stay calm and focused

Get enough sleep

When we’re busy, often our sleep patterns are the first to take a hit. Whether you’re staying up very late to get things finished or struggling to sleep because you’re overly anxious. The best thing you can do for yourself is to prioritise your sleep.

Sleep deprivation can leave you feeling lethargic the next day or cause you to make silly mistakes that will take even more of the time you don’t have to fix them.

Make sure you’re getting at least 8 hours of sleep and if you’re struggling to sleep, find ways to calm your mind by reading before bed, drinking soothing tea or meditating.

Find out: How to beat afternoon fatigue

Have a plan

If you know you have a busy day or a busy few days ahead, plan your day the evening before. Have a to-do list of the tasks you need to get done or even create a little schedule of how and when you’ll get everything done.

This way you know exactly what to expect and you have an increased chance of having a productive day because you know exactly what you need to do.

Compartmentalise

More often than not, busy days are just filled with far too many tasks and you simply don’t have enough hours. Or you’ve planned out your day but people around keep asking for help or you’re given a new task that you did not see coming.

The best way to handle this is to look at the tasks as a whole and identify which ones are the most urgent. Categorise your tasks from most to least important and begin getting each task done in order of importance.

Discover: Setting boundaries at work for your mental health

Be patient with yourself

As much as we’d love to think it, we aren’t superheroes and sometimes you just can’t get absolutely every single thing done. The most important thing for you to remember is that it’s okay to not get it all done.

As long as you’re doing the best that you possibly can, it’s enough. Don’t be hard on yourself. Make sure to plan your days and get as much done as possible but take each task and each day as it comes.

Move your body

Doing some form of physical activity each day will do wonders for your mental state. Being stressed and overwhelmed has a massive impact on your mental health. By moving your body in any way, you will alleviate some of the stress and get your endorphins flowing.

Exercise also gives you a boost of energy if you’re feeling particularly run down. Now we know you’re pressed for time so we suggest going for an afternoon walk or taking a 30-minute break during the day and finding a way to move your body, even a quick dance break is highly recommended.

Reward yourself

You’re doing the best you can and rather than be hard on yourself, reward yourself. At the end of a hard day, sit down with a cup of tea or coffee and take a few deep breaths. Tomorrow is another day. Remind yourself that there still is time and you have the strength to get through it all.

Busy days can be daunting but instead of just diving in, take a step back. Look at the situation as a whole and break it into bite-sized chunks. By planning your day and reminding yourself to take it as it comes, the day won’t seem so overwhelming.

You’ve made it through busy days before, you’ll thrive through the next one!

Posts archive for November, 2021

How to stay focused and motivated before and during silly season