If you find yourself working through the holidays, you’re not alone. Whether you work as a nurse at a local hospital or as a sales associate at a retail store, not every citizen has the liberty of taking the day off to celebrate. Even though the holidays should be celebrated around laughter and family, you don’t have to let the Grinch steal your joy. Here are 4 ways to make working around this time time of year more enjoyable.
Plan a party: Do something special for the group that is working. Plan a pot luck, play some holiday jams (Let It Snow by Boyz II Men anyone?) and start singing at work. Create a contest for who can dress with the most holiday cheer. Getting festive with your coworkers can be a blast and will remind you that you’re not alone.
Schedule that family time: If you know you are working, you may need to rearrange meeting times with family and loved ones. If possible, ask them to visit you at work. As long as you make your time with them intimate and special, they won’t mind that it’s the day before or the day after.
Be grateful. Give sacrificially to someone less fortunate than you. Clean out
your closet and donate clothes to your local thrift store. Find time to volunteer at a shelter or donate to a charity. Helping those who are less fortunate will help you to count your blessings. Also, be glad you have a stable job. In these trying economic times, you have an income to help pay for basics and also gifts for your loved ones.Take part in holiday cheer. If you
can’t seem to shake the feeling of irritation about having to work during the holidays, you’ll be irritated all day. Instead, tell yourself working is an opportunity to show the true spirit of the season to your coworkers, family and friends. If you have a positive attitude, happy feelings will follow.Are you working this holiday season? If so, how are you dealing? #SoundOff and follow Jamie on Twitter @JayNHarrison.