Getting Back into the Swing of Things at Work after the Holidays

All year long, workers look forward to that two week holiday break for Christmas and New Year’s and getting back into the swing of things after substantial time off can be tough.  No matter how much you love your job (or you might not), getting back into the everyday groove of work can pose a challenge for many people after an extended holiday.  Even workaholics need time to decompress and the holidays are just the time to do it.  Everything is slow as most people do take long vacations.  Often people feel a pit in the bottom of their stomach as the holiday nears its close and they know going back to work is quickly approaching on the horizon.  Getting back to work after substantial time off can be stressful.  No one enjoys going back to work after so much time off to relax.  As they say, time flies when you’re having fun.  So how to ease back into work after the holidays?

First off, take it easy.  To help make the transition back to work less stressful, pace yourself when you first return.  Don’t get overwhelmed by the massive amounts of emails awaiting you in your inbox, all the calls you have to return and all the new tasks the New Year will bring.

Stay positive.  Remind yourself that you’re lucky to be employed in the first place.  Think about the exciting challenges the New Year will bring.  Remember, it’s a fresh start and a time of new beginnings.  You can work harder and be more successful at your job if you keep an optimistic, confident mind.

Let your creativity flow.  After a rejuvenating break, you might find that your mind is clearer to focus on the tasks ahead.  Try to approach your job in new and innovative ways.  Resist the temptation to fall back into old patterns.  Reflect on what you did the year before and brainstorm about how you’ll approach the year ahead.  Think about what you can do differently and think about it with enthusiasm.

One tip might be to keep your “out of office” message on for a few extra days so that you have some time to yourself to get back into the swing of things and catch up on tasks that piled up while you were away.  Give yourself some alone time at your desk to get caught back up.

Stay in the moment.  Accept that the holidays are over and that you now need to pay attention to your work once again.  While this might be difficult, it’s necessary to being successful in the New Year.  Yes, you might feel some depression after your fun, relaxing vacation has come to an end but try to get your brain focusing again as quickly as possible.  The longer you put off getting back into the swing of things, the more stress you add to your work-life balance.

Make a to-do list.  Take the first morning back to sit down and look ahead at what tasks await your attention.  This will help you feel less overwhelmed.  Write down things that need your immediate attention and set goals for yourself as to what you can do first and what can wait.  This will help you ease back into work quicker and more efficiently.

Wake up early on your first day back to the office.  Give yourself some time the morning before work begins to reflect on the holiday fun you had and let it go and realize it is now in the past.  This will give you a better start to your work day.  You can also avoid the mass commuters that flood the subways and buses in NYC and take some time on your way to work to prepare your mind for what lays ahead waiting for you back at the office.

Don’t panic.  Don’t put yourself through unnecessary stress by thinking of all the pressing tasks that will need your attention up your return.  Don’t get anxious and feel like you need to do everything all at once the minute you sit back down at your desk.  The benefit of the holidays is that you are rejuvenated to face any new task that lays ahead.  Walk back into the office with a new mindset and renewed confidence.

Think about the changes you can make to the way you approach your work.  Reflect on how you handled your work flow the year before and the new strategies you can implement to become more efficient in your daily work life.  Try new things on for size.

Try taking on new responsibility at work.  You may want to mix things up so feel free to go in and talk to your boss about new projects you can take on in the New Year.  Give yourself a chance to grow as you get back into the flow of things.  Think about how you can work harder and become more successful at the start of every year.

Reorganize and tidy up.  Some people may just leave piles of work on their desks as they eagerly head off to vacation.  Take some time to look through your files and see what can be thrown away and what projects are completed.  Organize your desk neatly and start over.

Plan your next vacation.  While it obviously can’t be immediate, think about going on another trip over the Spring Break holiday.  Remind yourself that you will have time off again and this might put your mind at ease and allow you to focus better upon your return to work.

Lastly and most importantly, if you haven’t done it in years past, try and finish up projects before you leave for vacation next time.  This will allow you to enjoy your time off more as you won’t feel pressure to pick up right where you left off.  If you get things off your plate before you take that long awaited trip, you can start fresh in the New Year.

While it might be difficult to get back to work after a nice, relaxing vacation that you work so hard to earn each year, you have no choice.  You have to prepare mentally and physically and realize that your time off will fly by and be short lived and going back to work lies ahead but if you take the advice offered here today, you just might find yourself transitioning more smoothly back into work.

So what are some tricks you’ve learned about getting back into the swing of things at work after the holidays?  Do you use some of the strategies I’ve discussed today or are there others that you’ve found more useful?  Leave a comment and let me know.  Your thoughts and feedback are important to me!

Here are some articles you might want to check out about getting back into work after the holidays:

 “Getting Back to Work after the Holidays”: http://www.recruiter.com/i/getting-back-to-work-after-the-holidays/

“Get back into the Swing of Things at Work”: http://myturnstone.com/blog/back-from-the-holidays-get-into-the-swing-of-things-at-work/

“Going Back to Work after a Holiday”: http://www.cornelsen.de/fch/1.c.1760676.de

“Holidays End in Back to Work Blues”: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/holidays-end-in-backtowork-blues-20130107-2cc80.html

Until next time...