Like every year, summer holidays are synonymous with sun, beach, delicious cocktails… But this is not the case for everyone. Many sectors of activity experience a rather turbulent period in August. Conversely, others see their office empty and calm… Too calm. Because yes, sometimes summer holidays can be synonymous with loneliness in the office for those who stay. The feeling of being alone to work with the only companion air conditioning (for the lucky ones). And yet, loneliness in the office is sometimes good.
You, who found yourself alone in the office during this month of August, thanks to these 4 tips, you will now be ready for next summer! Find out how to turn a quiet, monotonous work day into a productive and (rather) pleasant time.
Find new habits
What better time than summer vacation to take stock of your daily life. This is an opportunity to try to bring a grain of novelty, to break the routine! Opting for new lifestyle habits is a great way to fill a feeling of emptiness, even in the office. A few ideas to bring a little something new into your daily life at the office:
- Take care of your work environment: take advantage of this calmer period to bring a wave of freshness to your work environment. Your office is your main work tool. A tidy and sorted space will make you feel better and above all satisfied. You can even complete the storage of your office by decorating it! Personalizing your workspace is soothing and, on a daily basis, it is still more pleasant to have a warmer office. Add small plants, photos, candles… After all, we spend on average 12% of our life at work, we might as well benefit from a space that resembles us!
- Organize a board game or even sports session during the lunch break. An opportunity to bring employees together and strengthen ties! In addition to that, it's a way to socialize and share a friendly moment with colleagues.
- Remember to oxygenate yourself a little more than usual: you have time! Eat outside, go for a walk during your breaks... You have the right to enjoy some rays of the sun, it's still summer!
In short, take advantage of doing things that you did not have the opportunity to do before!
Release the pressure
What better occasion than the month of August to allow yourself to release a little pressure at the office? In general, during the August period, the agenda is less busy than the rest of the year. The stress goes down, the workload is a little more dispatched over the week.
Taking breaks, taking your time to carry out your missions greatly contributes to improving and managing your mental health. The goal is not to encourage people to do nothing, but rather to take advantage of taking their time and thus reduce stress.
Being alone in the office isn't as bad as it sounds. Finding occupations to occupy your time, optimizing your schedule, finding new things to do… it's great! But taking time for yourself and your mental health is also essential. You can focus on this month, which is lighter in workload, to simply take care of yourself. Tranquility is also good!
For more advice on mental health at work, find an article that will help you with stress management !
Set yourself new challenges
Of course, it is important to breathe and release the pressure, but be careful not to fall into loss of motivation. In addition, a quiet period can lead to a drop in productivity. So think about setting goals that boost you and make you want to work. In this way, you will have a goal to reach and even exceed. In addition, you will not be bothered or under pressure.
In the same vein, you can ask yourself and try to understand the wave of the return to school in September, the return of colleagues and the return of the movement! Take the opportunity to organize the work in advance and thus reduce stress for later.
Socialize with colleagues present
It's important to socialize at work even if your favorite colleague is on vacation. Don't worry, he'll be back! In the meantime, maybe you could try to take an interest in the other collaborators? Indeed, keeping a social connection stimulates the brain and emotions, which turns into energy and improves productivity.
Remember, loneliness is simply being physically alone. It does not necessarily create a feeling of isolation. To overcome the negative feelings that can resurface from loneliness, do not hesitate to sympathize with the colleagues present! So take advantage of a coffee break or lunch and create the discussion in order to get closer to colleagues with whom you may not be used to talking or working.
