Tomorrow we are out of the official 6 week window from Nov 20 (the earliest the holiday season starts prior to Thanksgiving) to Jan 3 (the latest you can have a work day if Jan 1 falls on a Friday).
I don't remember when I started noticing it, because my days are usually pretty busy at work. At some point, I did notice other people started taking more time during that period, clients and partners started having more long lunches or dinners after work. There was always the obligatory office party, as well as invitations to client parties....
Basically Nov 20 to about Jan 3 is usually a big fiesta. I'm not complaining, it just isn't something I ever really thought about until this year because I have noticed more people taking time during this 6 week period.
Meetings were canceled, postponed, or otherwise put off unless absolutely necessary. Which was pretty common as the end of year approached. Some tasks have to be completed and goals met.
Which isn't to say nothing happens during the 6 week fiesta. There's always work, and I've seen it get pretty busy (this year a lot of firms were sprinting to their year end budgets - almost all coming up short). But it's definitely treated as a mild work period.
Many management comments will basically sound like "We really need to put in some effort these last few weeks to make the budget, but don't forget that the office party is on Tuesday Dec X and you'll need to get your self-evaluation in no later than the 29th of December. Have a great season."
I don't say this to be snarky - that's actually how it usually goes, and it can be a pretty good holiday season.
I always worked the week between Christmas and New Year - mainly because most people wouldn't, and it was an easier week. I remember taking those days to go to long lunches and see movies after lunch, then finish up at the office. Working from home takes a bit of that out of the equation, but I still did quite a bit of work last week.
Hope all of you, particularly if you share our points of view, thoughts, or opinions, have a great new year. Which isn't to imply those who don't should have a bad one. I don't wish ill on anyone at all. Some people just have bad years. I've had one or two along the way, and I've always looked for ways to flip that script. I am pretty good at that. There is always someone who injects themselves into your life and just know they have to in order to somehow make your life 'better' or feel like they somehow belong, and they aren't really welcome. They show up anyway and feel like they are doing a service. I work hard to be civil and cut those people out of my life as much as possible. You have to maintain positivity and those people are simply not positive. One of those people, recently, learned something about me which completely altered their view.
They had gone to HR not too long ago and had crafted a story, reporting me. After some angst, HR basically ignored it. That person treated me poorly for a while until taking the time to learn about me. The script has flipped. After a non-apology, I simply said "I don't spend too much time worrying about nonsense. It doesn't move me forward and I try to be optimistic. It pays dividends." Since that time, my work life has become immeasurably better, though busier.
We all have similar experiences and hopefully all of you will take Colin Powell's old comment (which is part of a list of 'rules' I try to employ) that "Optimism is a force multiplier."
Oddly, the list of 'rules' were given to me by one of the most negative, mean, people I ever worked for. I added that comment when another co-worker suggested it as a means of dealing with the list of rules, which are generally very good.
Whatever rules you live by - live well and benefit from them. Just remember, you're not here because you have to make other lives better. If you do, and if they accept it, great and good for you and them.
If all you do is keep showing up and you haven't read the room - maybe there's another room that's better for you and others. Find a way to be beneficial and live better in whatever way works.
A friend of mine recently described the upcoming year as 'tumultuous'. I won't disagree with that description. Despite that, we'll find a way to make it all a good one.
Happy 2024.
