• 29.12.2016

Poured by Dejan Madjoski

The euphorically days before New Year and the lazy days afterwards somewhere until the end of January, are part of the year when the regular activities cease slowly ceding place for the deserved rest and getting out with colleagues, friends and relatives. It is a real “time out” from everyday life, filled with entertainment, cocktails and parties, family dinners and lunches. Maybe sometimes a little excessive, but with hard labor throughout the year certainly we deserved such days.

Overwhelmed with all this positive energy in the free days of this period it’s hard to believe that anyone is focused on work, or thinking of a career. All of us at least once we had postponed these activities in a “let’s spend the holidays, so I sit down to finish the job” or “during the holidays I’m not seeking for a job. I’ll start immediately after!” etc…. However, this is the best time to take a good starting position in the new year and to gain an advantage over everyone else. Here are some ideas what you can do it…

Make the right choice with whom you swill spend your time

The holidays are a great opportunity to “recharge your batteries” with positive energy that will maintain throughout the year. If we do not do that, then you will have difficulties to maintain the required level of energy until the next opportunity for recharging.

The positive energy in this period will receive the time spent with your loved ones, or family and closest circle of friends. Although our habits tend to be different, during these days there is no need to run a marathon watching all the people that can be found in the list. Instead, reduce the number to a minimum to them to spend quality time and relaxing. For the rest, you have the time afterwards.

It is important how you spend your time

Given that each of us has to relax and enjoy different things, this time we will not tell you what to do, but what not to do. Our recommendation is to put-aside regular duties for a moment and to forget all tasks that you have in the workplace, private business or faculty. It will help you to separate from a moment from that world and “surrender” for yourself. Forget those seemingly painless activities like reading and answering emails on mobile phone, answering calls or calling colleagues and associates small and trivial things, or finalizing some remaining’s from previous weeks. However, seem naive, these activities will not allow you to forget anything about the work and will not “clean your mind” for all the challenges that will follow the New Year.

Instead, take the time for those things that you want to do, but somehow you haven’t have time to do that during the regular working months. Better yet, if possible, plan a few day trips and also leave even your everyday physical environment. Hotel complex with spa center in one of the closer mountains would be ideal “vacation from reality.”

If you are unable to do that then than a good part of the job will be done with several long walks and physical activity for sure will wake your body up.

If, however, you are the kind of people who cannot spend the time without doing anything useful, then find and read some good book for the holidays. Select with business topic, or book close to your profession or a book with motivational content. It will further help you to “energize” for the new year.

Do not forget the daily habits

If you have acquired habits like getting up early, exercise or other physical activity, your morning shower, reading or writing … do not forget them during the holidays. Your body and mind are linked to that schedule. In addition, some of the activities for example such as morning training or planning of daily activities helps your body and mind to wake up and to establish control for the day. Continue these activities during the holidays so you will not lose the rhythm and habits. It will help you stay active and not become lazy. After the holidays, when for all of us it’s hard to go back to regular activities, you will have much less issues than any other.

Choose a destination to go and who you should see

During this period, you will receive invitations for many cocktails and parties from friends, colleagues and business associates. Instead of going as a sprinter from party to party without devoting proper attention to anyone, choose places where you want to go and who you want to see. Make your list of priorities based on people to whom you have to give an honor, with whom you work most, and with whom you will collaborate all over the next year.
After you select the places where to go, decide about the people you want to see and what you should talk about. Do not leave things to the circumstances. Rather plan and prepare. Before the party, you can read some tips for “networking”. Start a conversation with strangers, present yourself or you work in a way that will create interest etc.
In this way, appart you will have fun, you will also have a double benefit by strengthening the relationships with those who are important to you or creating links with those with whom you would like to collaborate.
Aside from cocktails and partying, do (short) list of people who you need to see. Call them and invite them for a coffee, a drink or a lunch. Again, decide what you talk and get prepared. In these moments, you should not speak for any business ideas or the regular cooperation that you have with them, but you can speak on several topics that would raise and interest for future cooperation.

Restore your contacts

There is no other time like New Year holidays when you can send messages in the form of cards and letters, electronic and telephone messages to all those who throughout the year you have not an opportunity to cooperate or communicate, and to those with whom you would like to maintain contact. New Year greeting cards with a personalized message or an invitation for a lunch is perfect for that. With them you can maintain a relationship for several years without having additional contacts.
If you’re one of those looking for a job or a career change, send greeting cards to the managers in the companies where you had a job interview.  By this will you make them a note to have you on mind for the next appropriate position.

Make a retrospective of the last year and set goals for the new one

The first days of January are perfect time to do a retrospective of the previous twelve months. If you planned, now simply compare the planned with the realized. For all that you have accomplished and for all the successes you have achieved, give yourself a respect and praise. Be happy with yourself. For those things that you have not achieved, try to find the reason for that. Learn from it in order not to repeat the mistakes. In any case, keep in mind that the road to success has climbs and falls that should motivate and teach you.
Once you do that, take a very ordinary piece of paper and plan for the next year and the goals you want to achieve on your private and your career plan. Most importantly, to plan, set dates, deadlines, key points you want to achieve, quality and quantity. It will help you keep on track with the plan throughout the year. And remember, do not spend the holidays making a detailed plan, you will do that later. Now set the main objectives, actions and deadlines.

Use the holidays for a career change or job search

If for some time you think about career change, now is the right time. Relieved from your regular duties you can consider in which direction you want to move your career or your business and to take the first steps for that. If you decide to change than, once again, see the tips above about parties that you need to show up, people you need to see, to whom you need to send a Christmas card and the plan you should make.
If you’re one of those looking for a (new) job, then do not forget to browse the career pages of companies you would like to work for and the job portals. In this period, the active vacancies are in smaller number than in the other periods of the year, but also the number of people who visit these sites during the holidays is lower, so your chances are bigger. Note that many companies are eagerly waiting for the new year and the new budget to be able to announce new jobs. So, do not miss this time.