MM: Overcoming the Post Holiday Slump 11/30/15 | Four Columns Marketing If you’re like me, getting up to go to work was a bit harder than normal this morning. Maybe you’re still full from Thanksgiving dinner and thinking about all the working out you need to do before Christmas, maybe you’re dreading the next time your family gets together again after a stressful week at home, or maybe you’re wishing you were still at home in your sweatpants watching football. Whatever the case, I’m assuming we all agree we wish it weren’t Monday. In these next few weeks before Christmas, it’s vital to stay focused on the tasks at hand and maintain productivity in our workplaces. Instead of dreaming about the next holiday party on your social calendar or thinking about what you need to get your significant other for Christmas, try these practical tips to keep your mind focused at work. Take a few minutes to write out everything that needs to happen between now and Christmas vacation. If the list is too long, simply identify the big goals that need to be accomplished between now and then. What are your priorities? What do you need to get done first? Identifying a list like this will help you visualize what needs to happen and motivate you to make it to the end. Identify a few little rewards you can give yourself after marking things off the list you created in tip number one. Maybe you want to buy yourself a new Christmas outfit or a treat from Starbucks when you finish the next phase of a project you’ve been working on. Perhaps you want to take a break and listen to Christmas music for a few minutes before starting on your next task. If you’re reward driven, this strategy may be for you. Take advantage of your break time and get what you need so you can come back ready to work again. Oftentimes when I take a step back from what I’m working on to recharge, I come back a little more motivated than before. Start thinking about where you want to be in January – don’t wait till Christmas vacation to start thinking about this year and how you want to do better for the next. Once you start to identify potential objectives for the next year, you may be more motivated to finish well. Keep your future goals in front of you so that you have something to work toward when focus slips and motivation runs thin. These are a few simple ideas to help you stay focused over these next few weeks. Don’t let the post holiday slump trick you into unproductivity this month. Instead, let the anticipation of Christmas vacation motivate you to reach your goals and enter 2016 prepared and ready to take on a new year!