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Making It Through The Holidays At Work ...
November 8, 2022
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The holiday season means preparation for annual events, finalized budgets, and general stress. Many strive for the holiday fantasy projected in the media. The commercial aspect of the holidays is overwhelming and one of the side effects is being "down in the dumps."
The Perfect Holiday Myth …
Things happen during the holidays that raise anxieties and responses to pressure vary among a staff. This is the time of year that station employees need to pay extra attention to the issues and emotions around the office.What's Behind that Smile ...
This time of the year there are numerous reasons for personal holiday cash flow problems. For example, reduced number of paid remotes, agencies more than 90 days behind on paying for advertising and appearance fees, salespersons missing budget, commissions are down, layoff rumors, no raises, and all sorts of the unexpected.I Used To ...
During the holidays I made it a point to keep my office door open more than usual. It gave me a chance to observe body language, moods, and listen. I also would walk the halls and visit other departments. Zoom situations have made it virtually impossible to read employees working from home; they put on their Zoom face and all the superficial that goes with it.The Experts ...
Psychiatrists, psychologists, and counselors constantly update lists on how to handle the holiday stress. I've chosen some suggestions that might be helpful to you at work.Tips For Handling Holiday Stress
- Breath: It's an underrated way of calming yourself. You don't have to wait for a stressful situation to do it. Make it a point to sometimes just close your eyes, take deep breaths in, and let it out - do it 4, 5, or more times a couple of times a day. (Psychology Today.)
- The Safe Zone: Don't pester people about why they're not in the holiday spirit.
- Be Nice: It's easy to do, if someone is talking to you about one of their holiday traditions, be respectful with a smile and listen, even if you couldn't care less.
- Me Time: Sometimes it's about you. Besides breathing, there are other things you could do for yourself while at work. One example; bring some holiday treats to work and make them available for everyone to enjoy.
- Stay Calm: Keep it together no matter what the emergency is at work. During the holiday season, a crisis can blow out of proportion because of pressures outside of work. Don't rise to the level of other people’s anxieties. Your attitude could be the calming force to keep everyone focused on solving problems in a timely fashion.
- Reach Out: If you feel lonely or isolated, pick up the phone, Skype, or Zoom; friends, family, or someone you have lost touch with.
- Set differences aside: Try to accept family members, friends, and co-workers as they are, even if they don't live up to all your expectations. Set aside grievances until a more appropriate time to talk it over. Try to be more understanding of others if they get upset or out of sorts. Chances are they're feeling the effects of the holiday stress too.
- Get Professional Help: If you find yourself feeling persistently sad, anxious, unable to sleep, irritable, and feeling hopeless, talk to a doctor or a mental health professional.
Keep In Mind …
Taking the time to understand all things good or bad during the holidays might help you keep things in perspective. Remember, "Life is a movie without any editing." -
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