Surviving the Holidays at the Office

Greetings:

The holidays can be a fun and frustrating time at work. There is so much to do, and on top of everything, here comes the holidays. Well do not despair, there are some ways you can make the holidays fun and festive without falling apart.

First, be reasonable. Do not take on more than you can handle. Learn to say no when you cannot or do not want to participate, donate, or coordinate. Saying no to things you do not want to do will leave more time for those things you do want to do.

You do not have to give a gift to everyone that works for the company. If gifts are given in the office, suggest a gift exchange where everyone picks a name and buys just one gift. Or perhaps even a Secret Santa drawing where no one knows who has whose name and gifts are given everyday for one to two weeks before Christmas. This can be a fun way to spread the cheer and create a festive mood. If you want to give gifts to the secretary’s, receptionist, people in the mailroom, or your team, make the gifts small tokens of your appreciation. Things such as homemade goodies and crafts, certificates for coffee at a favorite coffee shop, or even a small potted plant will be appreciated and not break the bank. If you want to give gifts to your customers or outside vendors, check and see what the policy and procedures are with your company and theirs. Some companies only allow small token gifts, while others will accept something worth a larger monetary amount. So not do disappoint or do something that is not politically correct, check first and give second.

Remember that although the majority of people in the United States celebrate Christmas, not everyone does. Be considerate of those that are celebrating other holidays or not celebrating at all. One way to create an atmosphere of mutual respect is to have a pot luck and ask everyone to share how they celebrate their holiday. If someone does not celebrate a holiday during this time of year, ask him or her to share a special occasion that they do celebrate. This way everyone will have a chance to share what is important to him or her and everyone will understand better what is important to members of their team. Once everyone has a better understanding of why somebody is doing what they do, it is easier to respect and appreciate the differences.


Things tend to slow down between Christmas and New Year’s. This can be a great time to do some chores around the office. Clean out files and bookcases. Refill calendars and catch up on correspondence and any backlog from the year. This can even be a great time to do some strategic planning for the New Year. What new projects would you like to work on, what career goals would be interesting to pursue this year, and how what would you like to see happen in the New Year that was missing in last year. Taking time to think about and plan what you want to happen in the New Year gives you a great frame work in which to turn those plans into actions.

With everything else you have to do at work, the Holidays can just be another thing to do. Or you can give yourself permission not to be caught up in all the hustle and bustle, do what you can do, and pace yourself. Keep in mind what the holidays are all about for you and simply enjoy the festive spirit that comes with the season.



Rachelle