The end of the year is a busy time at many companies. That’s unfortunate, because it’s also a time when most of us are: a) overwhelmed with holiday planning and b) deeply disinterested in doing much but hiding under a blanket until spring.
But one of the best ways to overcome procrastination is to give into it. (A little.) This week’s lead story looks at the most productive ways to goof off at the end of the year. That, plus tips on making work more meaningful and signs that your leadership might be failing, in our roundup.
Richard Moy at The Muse: 12 Ways to Slack Off at the End of the Year That Are Actually Productive
What’s the most productive way to slack off? It depends on who you are. For example, Moy says, if you’re a caffeine addict, now’s the time to make your coffee problem work in your favor:
“How many times have you promised that this would be the year that you finally built a relationship with the folks in accounting? Or in sales? You get the idea,” he writes. “Find one person you’ve been meaning to chat with and suggest a coffee.”
Read more suggestions, here.
Ryan Robinson at Inc: 3 Ways to Make Your Work (and Life) Incredibly Meaningful
“Research has shown that finding meaning in one’s work increases motivation, engagement, empowerment, career development, job satisfaction, individual performance, and personal fulfillment,” Robinson writes. “But not everyone is experiencing the joy of meaningful work: According to State of the American Workplace, only 30 percent of workers in the U.S. are engaged in their work. 70 percent are either ‘not engaged’ or ‘actively disengaged’ in their work.”
How can you bring meaning to your work? Robinson says that you need these three things.
Lolly Daskal at her blog: How to Tell If Your Leadership Is Failing
“Just because you’re a leader, there’s no guarantee that you are leading,” Daskal writes. “Sometimes your leadership is failing and you don’t even know it.”
The symptoms of leadership failure include lack of conversation, absence of trust, and silenced complaints, among other signs. Learn more about how to recognize trouble before it derails your team, at this post.
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