It’s a mere two weeks until the end of the year and companies are scrambling to complete dozens of projects before 2017 draws to a close. Leaders are challenged to help their teams stay focused and motivated while myriad distractions compete for attention.
And that’s just at work! Outside the office, December mania is in full force: holiday parties, shopping for gifts, traffic jams, impossible crowds of people. When you layer on all of this, life can be crazy and distracting.
My recurring advice this month is to make sure you stay grounded and focused.
+ Identify the most important things to complete during the next two weeks. You’re not going to cram in everything, so be realistic.
+ Acknowledge that you and your staff will be distracted, so give periodic reminders to help everyone stay on course.
+ Communication is critical: give specific guidance to your staff and keep things as simple as possible.
+ Allow for a little more relaxed environment while running the race to year end. This will help morale and will show that you’re human.
+ Don’t try to do everything. Pace yourself.
+ Take a few quiet minutes to do some deep breathing during the day to re-center yourself. This will refresh you when you need it most.
Just think – by this time next week, you’ll be over the hump! Stay focused and centered, and soon you’ll be enjoying some relaxing holiday cheer.
Have a great day!
