It's the time of year when thoughts turn to change: for some this may be a change of job, for others, a change of career or location. Some may feel the need for change, but circumstances prevent it.
Whichever it is, why not give your work-self a makeover? A makeover of your workspace or a team effort to improve the office might be what you need to remotivate yourself.
Think about how good it has felt in the past when you have cleared out your office, got up to date and tied off loose ends before moving on to a new job. In my own case the sense of release made me feel I could start again - in the same place.
We all know what happens with a makeover, whether it is houses, gardens, wardrobes or people themselves: in comes the skip, out goes the clutter and within a short space of time and often a bit of budget, we have transformation.
It's not so far-fetched to apply this concept to the workplace. Look around you. How old are those posters? Are there piles of paper and reading material that you think will come in useful one day? Are there things in the bottom of that in-tray that pre-date the last restructure? Lose the clutter.
Makeovers often involve a dispassionate outsider who is tough, bossy and full of homespun advice, but we are the public sector and we can't afford to bring in the equivalent of Trinny and Susannah. See if a colleague will help instead.
Now that you've given your physical surroundings a makeover, what about the clutter in your workload or head? Imagine that you are leaving in a month and what needs to be done. Then prioritise what's important and discount everything that isn't.
Addie Stevenson is project manager of Supporting Front Line Staff at the Association of Directors of Social Work.
