by Optimum

Share

by Optimum

Share

How to not lose momentum leading up to Christmas 4

2023 has certainly flown, and in what feels like the blink of an eye we are now approaching the end of the year. Melbourne Cup is just around the corner and people’s thoughts are already turning towards Christmas.

This is the time of year where in our professional lives it is easy to lose momentum, productivity, and focus. Distractions are high, Christmas parties are looming, thoughts go towards a break and it’s easy to lose focus.

Across organisations, deliverables and decisions are pushed back and the common thought ‘we will deal with it in the new year’ arises. This can be dangerous because you potentially risk what only seems like a few weeks of delays that can actually turn into nearly four months of lost productivity. By the time the holiday period is really over, the school year starts, teams are all back in the office, and motivation is high again, it’s February and you are now chasing your tail with work. I have been there before, and it is not fun!

Here are my tips on how to help maintain productivity and momentum leading up until Christmas and into 2024:

How to not lose momentum leading up to Christmas 4

Set clear goals and deadlines

With the holiday season approaching, it can be easy to let goals and deadlines slip. To avoid this, take some time at the beginning of the month to set clear goals and deadlines for yourself. Then break it down even further to weekly and daily goals if you need. This will help you stay on track and avoid procrastination.

Set clear boundaries between work and personal time

It can be tempting to start holiday shopping or planning during work hours, but this can quickly lead to distractions. Instead, try to set aside specific times for personal tasks on your break or after work and stick to them as much as possible.

How to not lose momentum leading up to Christmas 4

Avoid distractions

The holiday season can be a time of distractions, with parties, shopping, and other events. This includes social media, email and even conversations with coworkers. To avoid distractions, try to focus on work during work hours.

Have a strategy to finish the year strong

Even if it’s really tempting to push tasks and projects back until January, don’t if you can help it. Make a clear plan for what you want the team to have completed by Christmas Eve so that there isn’t a backlog to clear come January. A clear plan will keep momentum going and help everyone stay productive and on track to finish the year strong.

How to not lose momentum leading up to Christmas 4

Hopefully, by following a few of these tips you can stay focussed for the rest of the year and hit the ground running into next!

MIKAHLA SMITH
Executive Consultant – Group Solutions

Mikahla began her career working for a small business consulting firm before joining Optimum Consulting in 2010 as a Consultant. She has since gained over 10 years’ experience in the industry and over this time has held a number of leadership roles (both onshore and offshore) and is currently an Executive Consultant – Group Solutions.

recruitment services in brisbane

Related Posts

  • TIPS FOR GOAL SETTING FOR 2025 It’s that time of the year again where many of us have come back to work from a relaxing Christmas break. I always have so much clarity with what I want to achieve for the year ahead after having a few weeks off. 2025 is going to be a […]

  • The popularity of high-potential (HIPO) employee programs across organisations continues to rise and there’s a number of reasons why. Such programs are designed to address a common company challenge across many organisations, which is cultivating promising future leaders. Too often organisations invest in current leaders offering them leadership training and development programs, but forget about […]

  • The importance for being prepared for online interviews   Welcome to 2025 and can I say that more than ever the importance of being prepared for any interview is critical. Gone are the days where candidates are dominating the market (well maybe in some arenas) but generally speaking, clients are now getting shortlists and can […]