6 Tips for Getting Back to Work After the Holidays
The Holidays are an amazing time of year. Spending less time working and more time with family and friends or doing more leisure activities are all a big part of the season. Eventually though, you have to snap out of vacation mode and return to the daily grind. Here are a few tips to help you with getting back to work after the holidays.
Start early
Don’t put off the inevitable, you have to go back. Give yourself a head start. Get into the office a few hours early so you have some extra time to catch up before the actual start of the day.
Make a plan
Having a to-do list is never a bad idea, but on the first day back after a holiday, it’s especially helpful and can keep you mentally focused. At the beginning of the day, take 10-15 minutes to map out what you need or would like to get done, prioritizing the most important tasks. If your focus begins to slip, the list can help you get back on track.
Don’t start with email
Muddling through all you built up email can be very discouraging and leave you feeling overwhelmed. After getting to relax and refresh, you should have some new focus and energy. Use that momentum to take action on something big. Getting one of your bigger tasks out of the way will give even more motivation to power through the rest.
Skip the morning chat
Wait until lunchtime to playback your holiday escapades with co-workers. Getting sucked into trading stories about what you did over the long weekend, or holiday break will just make getting back to work more difficult.
Fix your attitude
Just yesterday you could have been wrapped in a warm blanket binge watching your favorite Netflix Series, or out to brunch with a bottomless Mimosa Decanter. Today however, you are in your office, with your coffee, stuck in front of a computer screen. Try not to be resentful. It’s easy to think of your life and your work as opposing forces, but this kind of thinking only makes getting back to work after the holidays more difficult. Whatever it takes, try to adjust your outlook. Your job is how you afford the luxuries that make out-of-work-time so enjoyable after all.
Plan ahead next time
If you can lay the groundwork for when you come back before you even head out the door, your first day back will be much easier to handle. Send out emails early so you can get back to anyone who responds right away. This will cut back on the amount of emailing you have to do when you return. Also, use your “out-of-office” message setting to help buy a little extra time. Get through any little tasks you know you can knock out quickly before the break.
Source: TIME
Photo Credit: http://www.nolimitsac.com/events/back-to-work-club/