Holiday Project Management: How to Stay Focused & Cheerful

Ho ho ho! It’s that time of year again. ‘Tis the season to wind down from work, do your holiday shopping, and get in some well-deserved quality time with friends and family.

For those of you who still have projects to move forward this holiday season, staying productive and focused can be a challenge. But there’s still room to spread holiday cheer while keeping your team (and yourself) motivated. 

Here are a few tips to get you through the ‘most wonderful time of the year’ at work and thriving into 2024. 

Give thanks

Gratitude is one of the best parts of the holidays. It costs nothing, but when gratitude is offered sincerely, it gives people warm-and-fuzzies, like opening gifts on Christmas morning as a kid.

Now is the perfect time of year to express gratitude to your team and your suppliers. A little gift always lifts the spirits, but nothing’s better than a heartfelt, handwritten note. If your team is remote, a personalized email will bring just as much cheer.

However you choose to do so, make sure your project team(s) and your suppliers know how grateful you are for their hard work this year. 

Spread cheer in team meetings

Use your weekly team meetings as an opportunity to spread cheer. It doesn’t have to be anything major, but a little break in routine goes a long way in boosting morale.

Suppose you have in-person meetings, spring for a round of hot chocolates or some tasty treats. If you’re working with remote teams, you can open each meeting with a holiday-inspired question, like name your favorite Christmas/Hannukah/etc memory growing up.

Keep your meetings this time of year brief to stay on track, but try to infuse just a little bit of a holiday shake-up to keep everyone motivated and cheerful. 

Give extra thanks when deadlines are met

It’s not always easy for people to meet deadlines over the holidays. There are parties to attend, children to buy gifts for, and cross-country travel to contend with. 

That’s why we recommend giving extra thanks when people on your team reach milestones and complete tasks this time of year. Just a quick message on Slack is enough!

This small token of gratitude will be greatly appreciated by everyone on the team, especially parents who often get stressed around the holidays trying to make everything festive for their family. 

Get out-of-office dates documented ASAP

Make sure you get everyone’s holiday schedule on the shared calendar ASAP. You don’t want to be chasing people down for things when they’re not even available. 

Use your Google or Outlook calendar to send messages when key team members come and go. This way, you’ll be alerted without having to think about it and can get on with your work. 

Use automated alerts as much as possible

Speaking of, now is the time to really leverage automated reminders in your project management solution, so that nothing gets missed. 

For example, you can set an automated alert to let you know when a deadline is a couple of days away. That way you can tip off the appropriate resources if you need to, who may need a nudge to stay on track.

Another good idea is to set reminders to check in with stakeholders, both to keep them abreast of the project status and to offer a warm message of holiday cheer.

Celebrate!

Last but not least, don’t forget to celebrate the season! Do it with your co-workers or with your friends and family; just be sure you celebrate!

Take time to connect with the ones you love, so that you can feel refreshed and ready to take on the new year ahead.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!