4 Tips for Maximizing Workplace Productivity During the Holiday Season
December signifies the end of another chapter. We exchange gifts, celebrate with our loved ones, and prepare for the start of an exciting year full of unknown discoveries and challenges. Personally, I like to look back at my New Year’s resolutions and see how many I checked off my list.
In the workplace, we tend to slow our pace and decompress as we eagerly anticipate the holidays. During this time, it’s important to learn how to work smarter, not harder: a concept that pushes efficient productivity without jeopardizing one’s health or well-being.
Working smarter is like going into energy-saving mode. We still get our tasks done—and do it quite well—but are more strategic in where we commit our time and effort. That way, we can preserve our internal battery and focus on what matters.
But how exactly does working smarter help maximize workplace productivity? Why is this approach so beneficial, especially as we near the holiday season? Let’s weigh in.
The “work hard” mindset doesn’t always guarantee quality.
Sure, working hard can garner results, but if we need to be on constantly, we’re bound to get fatigued. We aren’t machines—eventually, we tire, and forcing ourselves to work through our exhaustion can do more harm than good. According to Aflac’s Workforces Report, 57% of American workers feel various levels of burnout, with one of the main contributors being heavy workloads.
Amid our exhaustion, we may learn that our quantity of hours worked doesn’t always guarantee the quality of the finished deliverables. If we constantly pour out 100% and don’t allow ourselves to recover, we’ll end up parched like an empty well, and whatever product we create will end up falling short.
Let’s say you’re a team leader who must complete a project within the month. Determined to get started, you dive into your work without adequate planning. Although your efforts don’t entirely go to waste, you find yourself spending countless hours completing tasks and achieving very little. Without a concrete, structured blueprint or tools to work more effectively, you feel yourself sinking under your responsibilities.
This type of scenario is not only detrimental to the individual but also to their company. Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace: 2023 Report states that disengaged employees cost organizations up to $8.8 trillion worldwide. When people work without purpose, direction, or strategy, they’re bound to become disillusioned.
Working smarter puts efficiency at the forefront.
The “work smarter, not harder” approach prioritizes efficiency over excess. (Turns out, less really is more.) Instead of staying up long nights to scour over the details of a challenging assignment, you might leverage AI to make the content more digestible. Or, instead of taking on every responsibility, you delegate important tasks to other team members and distribute the workload evenly. The process looks different for everyone, but the result should be the same: a successfully finished end product and a significantly less stressed team.
Full-time employees typically have eight-hour shifts—but it doesn’t mean they’re working for all of it. A recent Zippia study revealed:
- The average person spends roughly four hours doing actual work.
- 78% of respondents feel they don’t require eight hours to be proficient at their job.
- Nearly half (47%) of workers browse the internet during office hours.
The data suggests that many workers can meet expectations even when they don’t commit all their time. When you work smarter, you operate with an understanding of your top priorities, action steps, and desired outcomes. You dive into your role with an end goal already in mind, and allow it to drive your decisions while cutting out all the unnecessary fluff.
Here are a few ways to bring the “work smarter, not harder” approach to fruition and get to the finish line, just in time to enjoy your winter festivities:
1. Embrace flexibility.
Sometimes, you start a project only to notice its needs and goals gradually shifting. Suddenly, a deadline is too close, or you find yourself still trying to figure out unexpected roadblocks that prevent you from focusing on the task at hand. Flexibility allows you to adapt to unforeseen changes and discover solutions as you go.
It’s essential to address learning curves with grace. Change isn’t the end of the world—in fact, it’s necessary—but it does require you to reconsider your work processes and improve strategies that no longer work. Identify which tasks have the most significant impact and consolidate your priorities accordingly. Some may be flexible enough that you can push deadlines, while others may need to be reconfigured and given a new form.
2. Automate your repetitive tasks.
Imagine a chat agent having to categorize and redirect their incoming tickets manually. It can quickly become tedious and cut into the employee’s time. An automated chatbot resolves this using predefined triggers to route customers to the correct department. With this action now removed from the agent’s checklist, they can tend to other duties.
Automating repetitive tasks, like sending email responses, screening resumes, or scheduling calls, can streamline employees’ daily workflow and allow them to tackle challenges that require more creative thinking and problem-solving. There’s no denying the benefits—according to Zapier, nine out of ten knowledge workers state that automation enhances their work experience, while two out of three reportedly feel more productive.
There’s a wide range of tools available, but you must use ones that are best tailored to your needs, whether for business process, marketing, healthcare, or tech.
3. Batch your tasks together.
A few days before Thanksgiving, I had to publish several blog posts, update social media, complete December’s content calendar, and finalize podcast recording dates. Instead of tackling each task individually, I prioritized the blog and social media in the morning, then took the rest of the afternoon to revise our calendar and send out podcast meeting invites. Not only did it feel like I did less, but I also had additional time to prepare for the week after the holiday.
If you review your current action items, some may feel like repeats or are similar in nature. Instead of completing them separately and at different times, group them and complete them within distinct time blocks. Doing so can improve your time and project management, lessen work fatigue, and even give you a sense of accomplishment once everything is finished.
4. Make room for frequent breaks.
Breaks should be a necessity, not an option. Going through the motions of our job puts a lot of stress on the body, and if we don’t actively relieve it, it can damage our health and dampen our overall work experience.
Practicing relaxation is essential. Breaks present tangible benefits, as they reduce our stress hormones, improve our mood and focus, and allow us to be better problem solvers. Whether your go-to is an afternoon coffee break or a short stroll around the block, it’s important to incorporate any kind of routine that stops you periodically and reminds you to take care of your human needs.
End the year strong with CCWomen.
Ensuring work productivity during the holidays takes effort. But by implementing some of these practices, you can start 2024 with a clearer path to success, and a community to support you. As a platform built by women, for women and allies, CCWomen wants to empower and celebrate you even after you cross the finish line.
By providing virtual and in-person events, exciting networking opportunities, and helpful career resources, we hope to continue elevating our members throughout every season—and transform the business world for the better.
