Wudatime

The warm days of summer have gave way to the first cold days of autumn. The rain and, in many cases, states of nostalgia, depression, and melancholy tend to affect our work productivity.  Welcome to Autumn. It has been proven that during this season, people are susceptible to feeling sad and vulnerable: the rainy days, the shortened daylight hours and the lowering of the temperatures affects our moods, and of course it also affects our willingness to work, our work performance, and our attitudes toward the possible problems that may come up. The reduction in serotonin causes levels sleep and concentration problems. Also, it increases moodiness and alters our appetites. This translates into conflicts in the office, which in turn makes us less productive. Next we will give you four tips to get out of the autumn slump, and get back to working efficiently and productively. Don’t let autumn affect work performance!

1. Goals. Make a list of work goals that you would like to accomplish during this quarter or term. Prioritize and think about which goals are most important for you and for the company. When you have finished the list, put it in a prominently visible place, so you can see it every day. It is like a list of New Year's Resolutions, but applied to work performance. For example: raise my client portfolio by 20% and double my profit margin. Think about what you would like to accomplish before summer or Christmas vacations, and before you know it you will be working on accomplishing it.
2. Be positive. It is possible that you are surrounded by completely new faces. Autumn is a key hiring season, so don’t worry if you arrive at the office and you see two or three new faces. Be kind to the new people in the workplace, teach them what you can and try to maintain a positive attitude towards them. Don’t be afraid: no one is going to take your job from you. When new workers arrive at an office, it is normal for it to be shaken up a little, but hopefully, it is always for the better. Try to make them comfortable and gain their trust. Remember your first few weeks at your workplace and try to put yourself in their shoes. Be patient.
3. Start some new activities. Don't wait until January. Autumn is the perfect time to start a new activity, like Yoga, painting, dancing, spinning, or Spanish. Whatever you want and what draws your attention. Doing interesting activities during your free time is very important for you to feel like you are active and alive. If you only go from your home to the office and vice versa, you will end up frustrated and you will think that all you do is work. Find something that you truly like to do, and you will feel better about your work and your life. Keep in mind that, after a long and hard day of work, it is crucial to disconnect: going to the gym, taking up some medieval poetry classes or going for a swim in the pool. This disconnection from work will make you much more productive, since you will be able to face each new day with positive energy.
4. Get rid of your bad habits, at work and at home. If you know that something causes problems or does not work for you, for example, going to bed later than 11 at night, don't do it. If you know that drinking coffee before a meeting makes you nervous, you may need to reconsider your coffee drinking habits. Identify, in a list, all of the habits that you know are bad for productivity, and get rid of them.

As you can see, autumn can be a marvelous time to recharge your batteries and change some of those attitudes that handicap us on a daily basis.  Update your wardrobe, change the decoration in your office, cut your hair, because the start of a new work quarter is a wonderful opportunity to start again, both personally and professionally.