Adult Senioritis: How to Snap Out of it!

We have all experienced senioritis in some form.  Whether you’re a senior in high school ready to get the heck out of there or an adult who has finally given a two week notice on a job you’re unhappy with.  Checking out is something that we all experience, but that doesn’t mean it’s ok.  You are an adult and that means that sometimes you have to power through.  Here are my tips for snapping out of the “checked out” state I like to call Adult Senioritis.

1. Acknowledge that you have checked out:

The first step is admitting you have a problem!  Maybe you have an awesome vacation coming up and you just have one more day left of work.  I understand it’s easy to think about those mai tais you’re going to be sipping on the beach in a couple days, but you still have work to do.  If you find yourself looking up things to do while on vacation, while you’re still at work, you’ve got Adult Senioritis!

2. Set small attainable goals:

Once you’ve acknowledged that you have Adult Senioritis, you need to figure out how you’re going to snap out of it and power through.  My first tip is to give yourself small goals to reach throughout the day.  Depending on what you have on your task list, maybe it’s simply replying to all of your emails or creating a list of tasks that need to get done by someone else while you’re away.  Create a ‘to do’ list of small tasks you need to complete before you leave, and just start checking them off one by one.  If you’re leaving a job, say you have given your two week notice, make a list of items you need to take care of before saying your final goodbyes.

Pro Tip: Write your tasks down on a piece of paper.  There is just something about physically checking something off your list that is so satisfying.  This might be the motivation you need to get it done.

3. Give yourself an incentive

Now that you have your list of items you need to get done, give yourself an incentive to complete it!  This could be something like getting cocktails at the airport bar before your vacation or even upgrading your flight.  If you’re leaving a job, and hopefully have a new job lined up, you could incentivize yourself with a shopping spree for new works clothes or that handbag you’ve been saving up for.  Whatever motivates you to complete your tasks, is a great incentive!

Pro tip: Whatever your motivation is, print a picture of it out and put it up at your desk. When you see yourself drifting off you can look at it to remind yourself why you need to stay on task.

4. Pull up your big girl panties and Adult!

If all of these things are not helping you to snap out of it, at this point you need to just be an adult!  Like I said, we all have things we don’t want to do but we have to.  Do the right thing by being a good employee that stays in it until the end, whether you’re leaving for a week or forever. 

I have learned in my many years in business that you never want to burn a bridge.  You never know when someone might cross your path again, and you want to make sure you leave a good impression.  Have integrity and be honest because at the end of the day that is what defines your character.

Kristin Francy Insurance and Financial Services Agent

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