December holds a charm of its own. It draws curtains for the year that was and is marked by festivities. There is something comforting as well as exciting about December. It is the time we let go of our inhibitions and relax a bit. The air is colder and, it is the time to slip into the comfiest of jumpers and sip in some hot pipping coffee. We look forward to the end of the year festivities be it Christmas or New Year, where there is always something or the other happening in town. We reset our system and, the clocks truly slow down.
- Plan your day
Think about the work you want to get done or complete during this phase. Make sure you break your task into simple, achievable ones. Take small but consistent steps. Mark your progress each passing day so that you get motivated to work on it. Do not be harsh on yourself when you are having a bad day and finding it difficult to complete work. There are going to be days when you do not get the progress you were hoping for and, there are going to be days when you steer through. Be kind to yourself when things do not go according to plan.
- Stay focused
Planning your day is one thing and making it happen is another. When you sit down to get work done, many things can put you off track. Your mind can wander off from doing the needed, the phone might seem enticing and, the things around you might seem distracting. When you are sitting down to get your work done, make sure you are in an environment that motivates you to put in your best. This can be organized desk, switching notifications off or using productivity apps like Forest. You can even try different studying/ working methods like Pomodoro Technique which is about working for 25 minutes and taking a break for 10 minutes, thus increasing focus while getting the time to unwind.
- Buddy Up
The holidays are all about meeting your loved ones and having a good time together. Why not use that spirit here as well? You can partner up with a friend or a colleague to get your work done and keep each other in the loop of how much you have accomplished. Not only is this a fun activity to be part of, but the chances of you getting your work done are also exponentially increased. You can partner up with someone who has the same deadlines or the project that you have, making it easier to complete the project or can be someone altogether with different priorities so that you lack a disdain of working with the same thing over again and instead have something that might seemingly be out of your field of interest to discuss upon.
- Balance your day
Plan your day in such a way that you include breaks and time-offs. Be it including a fun activity in between like watching a movie or catching up with your friends or taking some time to unwind like a stroll across the neighborhood or mediating, make sure your day is balanced. You can plan a day off as well. Make sure you do not exhaust your mental well being by over planning and overburdening your days with plans and tasks. If you are feeling drained, take time to rejuvenate yourself.
- Prioritize
When you plan your day, there will be times when there will be clashes in your schedules. This can be between having fun and getting your life in order. Know what needs attention at the latest and focus on that. Never guilt trip into committing things. When it is time to unplug, do that. Never overwork to the point that you have to remind yourself to get work done and instead let things flow to you. When it is time to have fun and unwind, choose that. When it is time to get things in order, do that.