How to Make the Most of December Work

The holiday season can prove to be quite a time crunch, and your office environment might start to feel a little hectic in the last few weeks of December. People might be taking vacation days, or leave early, and schedules and projects might be thrown off because of it. That’s why it’s helpful to reflect on goals, priorities, and reevaluate expectations during this time in order to maximize productivity. That’s why the Elysian team has some tips for efficiency during the holidays!

1. Set reasonable expectations for you and your team.
   Everyone has deliverables and projects to get finished, but don’t get unrealistic about what you can and cannot accomplish before the new year. Remember to push your team and yourself to do your best work, while still allowing time and space for everyone to relax, have fun, and enjoy the holidays. Don’t set yourself up by having extremely high expectations for work that may not be possible to finish entirely.
2. Finish the most pressing tasks and projects within the first two weeks of December.
   As the holidays get closer, people will naturally grow more distracted, and gatherings and festivities with friends and family will begin to take priority. Because of this, it’s extremely helpful to try to finish the most critical tasks before that time period hits hard. Schedule any important meetings for the first two weeks and try to be understanding of everyone’s schedules being a little thrown off during the very end of the year.
3. Assess for yourself, whether or not you have a performance review coming up.
   Now is the perfect time to reflect on your own professional growth and accomplishments from the past work year. Write down your major milestones from the past year as well as any mistakes or failures, and evaluate what you’ve learned from them and how you can use them to your advantage for the new year. Take into account what your team and company need from you, but also what you want to accomplish for yourself! That being said…
4. Review your goals from this past year.
   How many did you accomplish, and are there any that are unfinished? You may have more than enough time to squeeze one last project in. If not, you can use this time to set realistic goals for the upcoming year. Set new goals, and be as realistic as possible. Base them on your strengths as well as weaknesses.
5. Make the holidays fun for you and your team.
   Last but certainly not least, whether you’re a manager, have a more junior role at your company or on your team, you can add something special to the end of the year all the same! Why not suggest a holiday competition to add a competitive spirit to the office? It could add some much needed fun and friendly competition if you set up a game where rewards and small treats are offered or exchanged for those who accomplish a certain number or percentage of their goals. This is a great way to boost productivity and encourage people to feel positive and accomplished.

There’s no better way to end the year than on a productive note. We hope some of these tools and tricks will help you make the most of the end of the year!

All the best and happy holidays,
The Elysian Team

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