Are you already running on fumes leading up to the holidays? You’re not alone!
December seems to be the most stressful month of the year as everyone in the office works against various year-end deadlines, juggles a seemingly infinite Christmas shopping list, and aims to tie up loose ends before leaving for the holidays. And it doesn’t help that Christmas parties further squeeze your limited ‘me’ time from your calendar.
No wonder you’re stressed, overloaded, and struggling to keep your head above water. But it doesn’t have to be that way! Here are three strategies and techniques to prevent pre-holiday overload:
Get in boss mode
Stop. Breathe. Get into boss mode. Remember your most precious resource isn’t time – it’s attention. So sit down and do a mental download until you have all your todos in front of you. Then carefully consider which pre-holiday tasks really make an impact. Prioritize and plan the high-impact ones.
As our Australian colleagues Julie and Matt say: Stop the frazzle! Get into boss mode!
Holiday heads-up
To avoid last-minute requests and overload, give your colleagues and customers a heads-up with plenty of notice. Let people know the remaining dates you’ll be available before the holidays. This way, they can submit their requests and questions when you still have some time on your hands. Our Ninja Grace swears by sending out a brief message: “I’m away from the 21st to the 5th, but I’m around all this week, if you want to discuss…”
Clear the deck
In your heads-up, set your still-in-office date two days early to give yourself two uninterrupted days to ‘clear the deck’. Go through all the small tasks and todos you still deem worthwhile to finish. Get your inputs down, tidy up loose ends, and organize your receipts and desktop, for example. And get your inbox to zero – but think carefully about which emails to send out!
Happy holidays and new year! Our offices will be closed from 16.12.2023 to 14.01.2023. In case of emergency, you can reach us via WhatsApp: +971585808306.