We’re already into the fourth quarter, a pivotal time of the year that brings its own set of challenges. Between employers’ professional imperatives and preparations for the end-of-year festivities, this period can quickly become demanding and stressful for an employee.
As a seasoned professional, it’s a good idea to put in place a plan that’s tailored to your personal goals, so you can stay calm through the holiday season. That’s why we’d like to share with you three key aspects that can really make the difference in a busy career: reorganizing your workspace, managing stress and mastering time and priorities.
1. Reorganize your workspace
An organized workspace means more than just a clean, tidy desk. In fact, it’s the first step towards a fulfilling career. A carefully thought-out work environment can significantly boost productivity, reduce stress and improve working relationships.
It’s not just about cleaning and purifying, but creating an environment where you feel both productive and inspired. This can range from buying an ergonomic chair to adding a scented candle for a better ambience, or changing the location of your office to take advantage of natural light. After all, we spend most of our week at work, so we might as well make this space as pleasant and functional as possible!
Many employers now offer a health and wellness allowance. If you have access to this opportunity and haven’t used it yet, autumn is the perfect time to take advantage of it!
2. Master stress management
Stress is inevitable in the professional world, but the way we deal with it can change everything. Properly channeled, stress can become an incredible source of energy for motivation and productivity. By learning to manage stress effectively, you can not only improve your physical and mental health, but also your relationships at work. Here are a few tips to help you:
- Use the 4-7-8 method to calm your mind by breathing: inhale for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 7 seconds, then exhale for 8 seconds.
- Give yourself a short break to stretch or take a short walk , paying attention to your surroundings in the present moment (what you see, what you smell, what you hear, etc.).
- Experience meditation or contemplation, if only for 5 minutes. A great way to reduce stress levels!
- Practice mindfulness by focusing on the present moment rather than worrying about the future.
- Learn breathing techniques to promote cardiac coherence.
- Opt forprogressive action, concentrating on each step to be accomplished, rather than over-anticipating or over-analyzing things.
3. Manage your time and priorities effectively
Prioritization is key to successfully navigating the year-end tumult. With goals to reach and deadlines to meet, it’s crucial to know where to focus your efforts. Rank your tasks by importance and urgency to create an effective action plan. Using tools like the Eisenhower Matrix can help you distinguish between urgent and important tasks.
Urgent tasks require immediate action, while important tasks play a role in achieving your long-term goals, both personal and professional. So it’s a good idea to think beforehand about what’s really important and where you want to go, so you can sort out your priorities.
So, by focusing first on what’s both urgent and important, you can eliminate last-minute stress and find greater harmony between your professional and personal life.
Remember that a busy schedule can bring many benefits, as long as you devote your energy to what really matters to you. This is often fundamental to a fulfilling and satisfying life. Conversely, too much free time, coupled with a lack of challenge and meaning, can lead to boredom and a significant drop in self-esteem. It’s all a question of balance!
That’s where this proverb comes from:
“To make things happen, entrust them to the busiest person.
We wish you the best of luck in your final quarter, and hope you’ll be able to implement positive changes that will have a lasting impact on your career!
So what’s your next step?
