Christmas joy is undoubtedly contagious throughout most office environments. Many may be wondering how remote working over Christmas may feel.

Although sad, that we will be missing out on the impromptu cookie and coffee breaks. Or, having Christmas FM playing all day by that one holiday crazed colleague.

We can look to the (many) positives of working from home throughout this holiday season.

After the hardships of 2020, it’s more important we make this Christmas one to truly relish.

Productivity Hacks

We know, we know. You came here for warm fuzzy Christmas talk and our first point of order is boring productivity.

We’re human, we know Christmas is full of exciting distractions and a to-do list longer than your arm.

So, you may find your attention wavering easier than usual.

Christmas is actually a brilliant time to work from home for these very reasons.

If you have shopping to see to, presents to wrap or cookies to bake. Working from home frees up much time that would otherwise be spent sat in traffic on your daily commute.

Many across the UK will have acclimated pretty well to work from home life by now. However, Christmas seems like a different ball game to face.

If you are the manager, or even if you aren’t the manager at your place of work. There are some great productivity technologies you can utilise whilst remote working over Christmas.

Here are some of our favourites;

Todoist – Todoist is an app you can download for free (and use the basic version for free).

Microsoft To Do – If you are a strong advocate for Microsoft applications, this one is for you. You can organise your daily task lists and assign projects to yourself and others.

Slack – Slack is an intelligent application that will link together all of your other apps. Such as Microsoft, Salesforce, Zoom etc. Within Slack, you can create forums for each project or team.

Momentum – Slightly different productivity app. This one helps you to understand your habits and improve on them.

Now is a great time to set these productivity hacks in place. To kill it in the month ahead!

Stop Working Around the Clock

If you are a bonafide work horse. Christmas is the time to put some boundaries into place.

Christmas brings on more work, and greater responsibilities than any other time of the year.

When working in the office, it may be easier to leave work there. But, when working from home, the lines can become a little blurry.

Take advantage of your newly found work from home life during the holiday season.

Spend quality time with your family. Allow off time to see friends (even if this is through Zoom).

Turn off your phone notifications, don’t allow yourself to be pulled into working all hours.

Alternatively, you can choose whom you wish to see notifications from set by priority.

Take the time to balance your work out. No one wants burn out over Christmas.

Delegate work if you’re snowed under (pun intended).

Restore balance whilst you’re remote working over Christmas. You’ll find with less working hours, the quality of work you produce will likely increase.

Virtual Secret Santa

Now we’re getting to the fun stuff!

How to really start successful remote working over Christmas!

Keep the Christmas spirit alive. Just because we aren’t together, it doesn’t mean we should be left to our own devises to create holiday fun.

Perhaps you’re the manager, or the one who takes the reins when it comes to organising staff activities.

This parts for you!

We’ve all got to love the office at Christmas. What with its impromptu breaks, running out to get the team one of Costa’s Christmas range coffees.

So, we may have lost these, but we don’t have to lose Secret Santa. I mean… what would Christmas be without your cheap Rudolf socks from Dave in Accounting. It’s what Christmas is all about!

Granted, it’s a little more long winded and tricky this year, but by no means impossible.

Someone must take on the lead responsibility with this one to instigate the present swapping!

Draw Names is a user friendly, simple way to conduct secret Santa virtually.

Here’s what you need to do;

1. Enter your own name
2. Enter your colleagues names
3. Set a date to exchange gifts
4. Set a budget
5. This will prompt you to confirm your email
6. At this stage you choose how to draw names, we recommend via email
7. Pop in your colleagues email addresses and wallah! It’s as easy as that

The next step to consider is how to exchange presents.

• Post
• Set dates for team members to head to the office to drop gifts off
• Online gifts only

Team discussions will bring about how most will prefer to carry this stage out. Online gifts can be an interesting one and not as restrictive as you may first think. Here are some ideas;

• Playstation credit – for the gamers in the group
• Fashion & Beauty vouchers
• Online orders sent straight to recipient
• Wine subscriptions
• Cinema or restaurant vouchers
• Experience vouchers, such as Groupon
• Flower delivery
• Meal subscriptions
• Amazon Prime Voucher, for movie nights at home

The options are endless. You can simply treat your colleagues without coming into contact! Remote working over Christmas has never been so fun.

Lighten the Mood

As Christmas draws closer, and people’s motivation levels wane. Now, is the time to pull out the big guns.

It’s the time to make your staff feel valued and let their hair down with some light hearted fun.

There are ideas galore in this region of working remotely over Christmas. Not all of them require too much brain power or effort either.

One fun idea we had was hosting a Cardboard Christmas tree competition. Where teams get together virtually and have 15 minutes to make the best cardboard Christmas tree they can.

This is also brilliant thought for those working with Children at home as they can get involved too.

Creativity has been proven to increase brain function. It improves happiness, increases blood flow, and even improves your mental health. All the more reasons to get the team exercising their creative muscles, you’ll be surprised with what they may come up with!

Virtual office parties is a fabulous idea. Install a ‘no work policy’ and encourage fancy dress.

Office parties are looking like they will be off the table this year. However, virtual hangouts can be incredibly fun with the right dedications put into them!

Spice up your virtual office party with festive cocktails, where you send each team member a different cocktail and see who’s looks the tastiest.

Check out other ideas here.

Winter Wonderland Office

We’re sure most of you don’t need urging to flex your your decorating muscles.

If you enjoy festive feels and tinsel, don’t deny yourself the fun of transforming your home office into Santas Grotto.

When you look at it this way… without your daily commute, you aren’t spending money on petrol. So, more money for Christmas lights and glitter snowmen.

Overall, you want to make this a cosy inviting space, that makes you feel festive and productive at the same time!

Take some time to venture to your favourite garden centre, B&M or Wilkinsons to Zeus up your working space.

Move and Groove

Possibly an unpopular idea.

As Christmas is a time where we can unapologetically eat an assortment of Mince Pies and Miniature Heroes. But, it comes as no surprise that an overload of junk food will do nothing for your motivational levels.

At home we tend to move around less. No walking to and from the car. No walking into town on lunch. Less waking in the office to speak with various team members.

It’ll do you wonders to be mindful of this fact throughout December, to make remote working over Christmas go smoothly.

Set reminders on your phone to get up and move every hour. To utilise your lunch break to get outside and get the blood flowing.

If it’s rainy, some stretches will wake up your limbs and increase blood flow to your brain.

In Winter us brits are extremely guilty of becoming reclusive. Even pre-covid. Our current situation doesn’t help this.

Not all Christmas treats have to be unhealthy. Check out these great, healthy recipes, that still scratch the Christmas itch.

Keep a steady good diet, move and stay hydrated. Drinking plenty of water to reduce fatigue and help you to remain focused.

Set Goals

Going into each day open minded, allowing yourself to blow in the wind opens opportunity for lower productivity.

Lower productivity and output, will and does, make your day go slower. By getting your head stuck into busy work will make your days zoom on by.

Sometimes, we must be stricter with ourselves. As much as we may want to go with the flow, and see what may arise.

Before you finish each afternoon, set a list of tangible goals for the following day.

The reason you do this at the end and not the beginning is because you are tuned in at the end of the day.

When you start your day, you don’t have the same flow you may have had the day previous.

Plus, ticking off your to-do list feels amazing!

Knowing you are accomplishing so much with each day will make you feel great, and set you up for success.

You can use earlier mentioned productivity apps to create your lists and set goals.

The best part of this, is when you know you have achieved certain tasks, you can reward yourself.

Whether that is with a 5 minute break, a cookie, or 10 minutes to browse Etsy for Christmas gifts.

Work it, for you!

Have a Lovely Christmas 

We really hope you are finding remote working over Christmas is going well for you.

We understand that Christmas can be a difficult time for many. Christmas time adds pressure to be sociable, busy and happy. Which in itself can be isolating, remote working can compound on any loneliness.

If you feel the stress of this holiday, please reach out to someone. There are many great services here to help you combat any mental health issues you might have.

For more insightful information on Christmas, Recruitment and other related topics, head to our blog.

Have a wonderful Christmas!