Stay Motivated at Work this Winter
The winter months can be challenging when it comes to work life. A combination of the cold weather blahs and an everlasting holiday hangover can make getting your butt into gear challenging. We don’t want you dragging your feet all winter so here are some quick and simple tips to help you stay motivated during the darkest months of the year.
Ride the resolution wave
We saw that eye-roll. Don’t worry, we’re not fans of fad resolutions, either. The way we look at it, January should be a time to establish your goals for the year. Goals and resolutions are a tad different, but both have their place at work. Forget about the last twelve months and decide where you want to be a year from now. Are there areas of your job you neglect? Make it a goal to kick things up a notch when it comes to those tasks. When it comes down to it, New Year’s resolutions are just an excuse to hunker down and decide what you want from the coming year.
Get organized
Don’t save the cleaning for spring. Get rid of all that clutter on your desk, in your office and in your house. Whether you realize it or not, clutter brings you down and distracts you from the tasks at hand. In order to stay focused at work, make sure you have as little on your workspace as possible. Clean desk, clean mind.
Read: How to Promote a healthy work-life balance
Get moving
We’re not saying you have to join Crossfit, but do something to get the blood pumping and get your heart rate up. When you exercise your body releases endorphins that trigger a positive feeling in the body. It can actually counteract feelings of depression. So to kick those winter blues that have you moving like a sloth around the office, get active.
Organizing an on-site exercise session is a fun way to encourage employees to get some fitness into their workday and have fun doing it. Mid-way exercise also increases energy and productivity. Bring in a dynamic Zumba or yoga instructor to break up the day. Really small team? Toss in an exercise video and do a workout together.
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Outdoor time
Take some time to smell the roses…or rather to breathe in that cold, cold air. We promise, getting outdoors, and getting some fresh air in those lungs will make you feel more awake. Also, since the winter months are the months we have the least amount of sunshine, it is important to soak up as much of those rays as possible. Going for a walk around the block on a work break could help you get through the rest of the day. Plus, it’s reassuring to realize it’s usually not as cold as it looks.
Off-site meetings are a usually a great way to encourage a healthy change of outdoor scenery. Taking employees out to a park for a meeting is pretty much off the table during the winter months, we don’t recommend that! Not worth the grief and not really do-able anyway. However, suggesting a short walk to a nearby cafe or restaurant for an off-site meeting is a chance to get outside for some fresh air during the work day.
Eat healthy
We’re not here to give you diet advice but let’s be honest. Fast food often makes you want to have a nap. It’s just common sense that eating healthily keeps the energy level up and prevents that lethargic feeling that can set in after lunch hour. Studies show that eating sugary, processed, high-fat foods can actually cause tiredness, a lack of motivation and decreased performance. If you grab a burger and fries at lunch and get back to work feeling like you want to curl up and have a snooze, you’re probably not going to have a productive afternoon – which means once you get home, you’re not going to feel very satisfied with your day.
Encouraging your team to eat healthy at work and beyond has big returns for productivity and team energy. Some companies are now offering food-related perks to their employees and seeing an impact both on current employees but it even relates to employer brand! For more about food perks, check out Five food perks that make for happier employees.
