Employee engagement is essential this time of year for client work, but, spring has sprung and I am done!
The struggle is real, people! The weather is staying warmer for longer stretches of time, the flowers are blooming, it is light out until 8 p.m. and my attention has turned from my computer to my window. Where not long ago, there was laser focus on work, there is now daydreaming and a longing to be outside.
Okay, so it was a super mild winter and you could say cabin fever was at a minimum, but the sun on my face and the smell of my neighbor’s magnolia tree has me ready for spring anyway. If only I could focus on getting things done as much as I’ve been fixating on pool days and deep porch sitting.
If you or your teams have suddenly lost the ability to focus, there is hope to renew that employee engagement.
Here are five tips I’ve found useful for enjoying the changing of the season and still remaining an engaged employee:
#### 1. Bug out early.
If you can get away with it, start your work day early so you can put in a full day by mid-afternoon and take advantage of the remaining daylight hours.
#### 2. Get outside!
[Working outside](https://www.themuse.com/advice/3-reasons-why-you-should-take-your-work-outside-plus-how-to-realistically-do-it) can, in many ways, help you stay relaxed, refreshed, and thoughtful about your work. Being relaxed clears the mind so it can absorb information. So go ahead and move to the patio (or at least near an open window) to work and to enjoy the warm weather simultaneously.
#### 3. Try the Pomodoro Technique.
The what?! [The technique](http://lifehacker.com/productivity-101-a-primer-to-the-pomodoro-technique-1598992730) suggests that working in short bursts with frequent breaks can help you procrastinate less, lower deadline-induced anxiety and work for longer periods without burning out. If escaping the office is just not in the cards, you can at least give yourself breaks to daydream.
#### 4. Provide and accept support.
If you work with a team like we do here at Intrinzic, band together to increase productivity. Set goals or create challenges, encourage each other to stay focused, reward success and build on excitement and motivation to embrace spring, but still get the work done.
#### 5. Spring clean.
Spring is the season of rebirth, everything seems new, fresh and alive. Make your work environment feel the same way. Many of us can’t get out a fresh coat of paint in the office, but we can clean up, clear out and throw away all the clutter that piled up over the winter. Extra benefit: de-cluttering your workspace helps to clear the mind and quell anxiety.
How do you handle spring fever? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
