As the darker nights draw in and time spent outdoors decreases, looking after your well-being, whilst staying focused on your studies or your job search, can be tough. Finding a healthy balance between living in the present to ensure you stay on track and looking ahead to the new year can be tricky to manage.
The Winter break, in particular, can offer a crucial time to take stock and unwind, but it can also be important to keep up momentum.
Read our article for some top tips on how to develop a positive mindset and stay motivated over the Winter break.
Develop a realistic plan
Whilst it can be tempting to set multiple goals, it’s important to be realistic about what is attainable during the Winter break, ensuring you have an opportunity to maintain a healthy work-life balance.
To ensure your work or job search is manageable, we would encourage you to set yourself SMART goals to stay on track:
- Specific – make sure you are clear about your intended outcome – why is it significant?
- Measurable – what does success look like in relation to the task you have set yourself? What metrics will you use to show you have achieved success?
- Attainable – is the goal you have set realistic for the timescale you have allocated and the competing priorities you may have when job searching or studying?
- Relevant – why is the goal important for you to work towards?
- Time-bound – what is the time frame to achieve your goal? Is this flexible given the additional pressures this time of year can bring?
By ensuring you have a clear plan, serving as a roadmap that will help you to set and track your goals, you are more likely to stay focused over the Winter break. As you work towards and achieve your goals, factoring in some personal rewards can also help keep up motivation. So treat yourself to that festive hot chocolate, get outdoors for some fresh air, and celebrate the small wins as you go!
Draw on support from your network
It will be important over the Winter break not to underestimate the importance of drawing on your support network, whether that’s fellow students, colleagues or friends/family. They are likely to be experiencing similar challenges to you, so sharing any struggles and offering an ear will help to overcome any obstacles.
Consider scheduling opportunities to socialise, whether it’s in your current workplace or post-work or study hours. Engaging in activities that are mood-boosting will be essential to maintain a sense of well-being, as well as staying focused during the Winter period.
Step outside and be active
We know it can be challenging during the Winter months to ensure you are getting enough exposure to sunlight and maintaining an active lifestyle. With dark mornings and even darker evenings, making the most of lunch breaks or factoring in regular opportunities to get outdoors during your study periods or job hunting will be crucial.
Combine the opportunity to get outdoors – taking a well-earned break away from the computer screen – with socialising with others. Spending time away from your desk / study area will help you to re-charge and return to your studies or job hunt refreshed!
Take time to reflect
The Winter break as you head towards a new year offers an important opportunity to take stock and really consider your achievements over the past 12 months.
Life can be hectic and we rarely take proper time to step back and reflect. Therefore, as well as considering new or refreshed goals for the year ahead, make sure you celebrate your successes. Whether it’s receiving positive feedback on draft content for your PhD, completing multiple job applications, or getting through to final stages of recruitment processes, it is important to recognise your accomplishments.
Ask yourself the following questions to consider your accomplishments and growth…
- What were your proudest moments across the year?
- What new skills or experience did you gain?
- What has been your most significant area of personal development?
- What has been your most significant area of professional development?
- What new opportunities did you embrace that had been outside your comfort zone?
Whilst it’s important to focus on your areas of growth, it is also essential to consider what you have learnt to take forward in your studies or job hunting. Consider the following…
- What were the biggest challenges you have faced?
- Where did you fail and what did you learn from that failure?
- Were there any situations you wish you had dealt with differently?
By factoring in time to reflect on both your achievements and your key learning, this will highlight where you are likely to make the most progress and ensure you stay motivated.
Have fun!
It’s important to recognise that motivation typically thrives on both variety and enjoyment and therefore factoring in fun and engaging activities into your routine can keep you energised.
For many, the Winter break offers an opportunity to revisit or to explore new hobbies and interests. Creative activities such as painting, baking or DIY projects can offer a positive outlet. Others might thrive on building on or gaining new skills by engaging with educational games or enrolling on online courses. Whatever your preference, trying something new can bring both a sense of accomplishment and help to reset your focus.
Overall, remember that staying motivated over the Winter break isn’t about creating endless “to-dos”; instead, it is about ensuring balance. Utilise this time effectively to recharge and reflect, whilst prioritising what matters most to you. By following the top tips offered in our article, we hope you will start the new year feeling refreshed and more confident in sustaining your progress in the coming months.
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