Daily Buzz: Managing the Post-Holiday Funk

The holidays are behind us and it’s time to get back to work. Feeling unmotivated? You’re not alone, says Art Markman in the Harvard Business Review  (opens in a new tab). “After being out for a week or two, it can be hard to snap back into work mode,” he says.

To break free from the clutches of a post-holiday funk, Markman offers several strategies.

Focus forward. “When you get back to work, it’s important to start looking forward to the new year rather than back on the past one. Treat the goals you want to accomplish as new challenges and a source of energy, not a penance for things you didn’t get done last year.”

Get specific. “Abstract goals can be paralyzing. They’re simply too big to make meaningful progress toward. Instead, turn your goal into specific actions that when added up lead to the desired outcome. This kind of specific plan is called an implementation intention.”

Make helpful comparisons. “You can’t stop yourself from making social comparisons, but you can explicitly manage those comparisons to motivate you. For example, you can find a close rival—someone who is doing slightly better than you are along some dimension, but whose performance is close enough to your own that you can see how you could take some actions to reach their level.”

Website Design Tips for Nonprofits

Your nonprofit’s website is the foundation upon which your digital communications and fundraising campaigns are built. How well your nonprofit’s email and social media campaigns perform depend upon how well your website is designed.https://t.co/ATFjX9hc0D  (opens in a new tab)

— Nonprofit Tech for Good (@nonprofitorgs) January 5, 2020  (opens in a new tab)

“Your website is the foundation upon which your digital communications and fundraising campaigns are built,” says Heather Mansfield of Nonprofit Tech for Good  (opens in a new tab). “How well your nonprofit’s email and social media campaigns perform depend upon how well your website is designed.”

If you’re looking to redesign your site, start by taking note of modern design trends, specifically those used by other nonprofits.

“Large national and international nonprofits are often ahead of the curve. They have the resources to hire and consult highly skilled website design firms and graphic designers,” Mansfield says. “Having a vision for your next website design is very important so that you can communicate your needs clearly to those involved in the redesign process.”

Other Links of Note

Need help engaging millennials? Event Marketer  (opens in a new tab) highlights five tips from the recent Millennial Impact Report.

Back to basics. Find out the fundamental items that your association should have in its toolbox, according to The Moery Company  (opens in a new tab).

What’s next in the event tech industry? Lawrence Coburn has an answer in an interview with the Event Manager blog  (opens in a new tab).

(torwai/iStock/Getty Images Plus)