February is kind of like the Tuesday of the year; useless and no one’s favorite.
We made it through another holiday season and the excitement of a “new year, new me” has faded. The only thing full-time, 9 to 5 (ish) employees have to look forward to is…the weekend?!
We have to wait until MEMORIAL DAY to get a paid holiday off. In May. END of May. How will we ever make it?
We have a few ideas to help you make it through the next couple of months.
Change up your desk décor. Or ask if you can change desks for a while, if there are empty spots around the office. Getting a new view could help alter perspective on your work and increase your productivity. Some workplaces will let you try out a standing desk, which is great for refocusing and for your health!
Try a new workout class. You know, the one you’ve been eyeing but are too scared to try. Push your limits. Now is the time to figure out how far you can really go to reach your goals for 2016.
Eat lunch with a new crew. Spend lunchtime with coworkers outside of your department (or clique). They might be the key to boosting your creativity and generating some fresh ideas. You might even make new friends!
Try out that new lunch spot. This is also a great chance to invite your new lunch crew out to eat. Get outside the office for a while, if you are in a more secluded area go for a walk around the building. The fresh air will do you good.
Find day trips you can take on weekends. Invite friends and head out for a quick road trip. Even if you don’t have a destination in mind, the drive will clear your head and you will be ready for Monday. It will feel like a mini-vacation without taking the PTO!
Invite an out-of-state friend in for a visit. Or go there. Use up your PTO, that’s what it’s there for! If day trips won’t cut it, plan a trip for all your friends. Meet in the middle or somewhere warm (even better if one of them lives somewhere warm). Take a long weekend, or week, for yourself to rejuvenate.
Search your local area for concerts or other activities. Winter is usually a slow time for restaurants and venues, this is a good time to catch some good deals on tickets. You can be a tourist in your own town! Bonus: many cities have a restaurant week with discounted menu options; check your local weekly.
Go on a shopping spree. Styles and trends are ever-changing, so spruce up your wardrobe for the upcoming seasons. When you feel good, you’re confident (something we can all use a little more of in the office). Like we needed an excuse for a little “retail therapy!”
Start a new work project. It doesn’t necessarily have to be directly related to your work. Get creative. Start a ping pong office tournament, join the planning committee for the next work party, or seek out another initiative you deem essential in your workplace.
Don’t let the winter doldrums get you down. Even if the best thing you can say about a workday is that you showed up, stay positive and find inspiration wherever you can. Let us know what you do get through ‘til spring!
