How To Stay Focused During The Holidays

Managing PTO during the holidays prompts the question for managers and directors: Do we hire more support staff for the season to cover team members’ vacation time or do we plan to operate in a limited capacity with less resources for a defined amount of time? No matter the choice, one thing is consistent across the board: the need for you and your team members to stay focused.?

Plan Ahead and Communicate??

When it comes to the hustle and bustle of the holidays, early communication is key for any level of seniority. From C-Suite to Entry Level, it is your responsibility to communicate time out of the office to your managers and your direct reports. Giving your support team 2 days’ notice vs. 2 weeks’ notice of your time out of the office could be the ultimate difference between their ability to successfully meet deadlines or not. Any days that you will be away for holiday events or vacations will be managed better when put on the calendar as early as possible.?

Create a To-Do List?

After you have set your schedule and communicated your time away from the office, create a list of what needs to be done before you leave and while you’re gone. Unless you are a superhero, there are probably going to be a few things left on your list in 2023. Setting clear priorities for yourself and your team is critical this time of the year to ensure that you complete the most time-sensitive items first.?

Don’t Over Commit?

Holiday parties, company trips, volunteer outings, end of year conferences – during the holidays, the list goes on. The jolliest time of year is also one of the easiest times of year to experience burnout from over committing to social events that you feel are required, while trying to service your list of priorities that you have established through the end of the year. Make sure you are taking the time required for you to feel your best and operate at peak performance.?

Avoid Multitasking?

‘Tis the season for last minute projects! The last few weeks of December are always an “all hands on deck” situation, especially with so many people out of the office. While choosing to be a team player, stay focused on one thing at a time. Multitasking to help contribute to someone else’s project while managing your own will likely only lead to mistakes being made on both. If you offer extra project support, make sure you factor that work into your to-do list while setting priorities.??