How To Beat The Winter Blahs At Work

by | Jan 22, 2018 | Corporate Culture, Employees, Team Building, Team Members

Snowman thinking of ways to beat the winter blahs.

After all the excitement of the winter holidays dies down, for many people this is the time of year when the “winter blahs” (also known as Seasonal Affective Disorder) set in.  With the freezing weather, fewer daylight hours and the flu that has been going around the office for the last three weeks, it’s easy to see why workplace moral and productivity can be affected during the winter months.

We’ve come up with a few fun ways to help keep the winter blahs out of your office this year: 

  1. HAVE A BEACH PARTY!!!(INDOORS, OF COURSE) – It might be frigid outside, but there’s no reason why you can’t turn your office into a tropical paradise for an afternoon!  Encourage your employees to dress up in their flashiest beachwear, decorate the office Hawaiian-style and set up a Tiki bar and offer up some non-alcoholic tropical drinks.  Make up a playlist of your favourite summer tunes and have your own private beach party in the middle of winter!
  2. BRIGHTEN UP YOUR OFFICE – One of the biggest reasons we experience the winter blahs is because we just aren’t getting as much daylight as we do during the rest of the year.  Draw back the blinds and curtains and let as much natural sunlight into your workplace as possible.  Try to get outside every day, even it it’s just for a few minutes.  The boost of Vitamin D from the natural sunlight will do wonders for you!
  3. SERVE UP SOME HOT CHOCOLATE – Treat your staff by making up some hot chocolate and bringing it directly to them.  Pick a day where no clients are coming in and let your staff come to work in their warmest pajamas and slippers as well!
  4. EXERCISE – Being sure to get enough exercise will also help to send the blahs back where they came from.  Organize a lunch-hour walking group and bundle up and get outside and active.  Your team will come back feeling refreshed and with a nice boost of energy to carry them through the afternoon.
  5. TAKE A VACATION – A quick trip away, even for a couple of days, can help you re-energize and ward off symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder.  If you can’t take a full two weeks, even a three-day weekend can help you relax and come back to work with renewed focus and feeling less stressed.
  6. HAVE A CONTEST – Nothing motivates staff like a bit of good competition!  Set some realistic goals and offer up some great prizes!  Cash is an excellent choice, especially after the holidays when the bills start piling up; another great option is offering a paid day off.  Come up with some ideas to make it fun and encourage all of your staff to participate!

Sit down with your staff and come up with some fun ways to brighten up your office this winter.  The simple act of planning a small event can create a boost in overall happiness and it’s a great way to bring your team together to keep warm and have fun!