The sound of that first alarm jars you awake. We’ve all been there – the stages of grief set in while the alarm is in ‘snooze’ mode; shock and denial, pain and guilt, anger and bargaining, depression and finally, acceptance. Acceptance that you have to get up and remember how to do your job again.
The above scenario is at the dramatic end of the scale, you could be at the opposite end and be jumping for joy to be back to the grind and away from the kids…Either way below are some tips and tricks on how to best ease your way back into work after the summer holidays.
- Never start back on a Monday.
Apologies to those who are reading this too late – but plan ahead for next year and start back mid-week. It allows a short three-day transition from holiday to work mode, then it’s the weekend again!
- Plan your next adventure.
Pretty self-explanatory – plan your next holiday. Whether it’s a long Waitangi weekend of camping or a mid-year tropical getaway, we all need a holiday to look forward to!
- Unsubscribe from the ‘noise’.
There is no better time to cull the newsletters, social feeds and counterproductive email updates you receive than when you arrive back at work and have an inbox FULL of them.
Be realistic with your subscriptions and followings and only subscribe to useful and meaningful content that you will actually read.
- Take a break.
Not another holiday break but the actual breaks you are entitled to take. Remember the two 10-minute breaks you are supposed to take but nobody does? Especially if you work in front of a screen all day long it is important to seriously stop, get up and take a short break to rest your eyes, mind and posture.
Try only half-filling your water bottle so you have to get up more or head to the staff room fridge and check out what everyone else has for lunch. For added excitement, write your name on whatever takes your fancy (ok, maybe don’t do that) but do get up and move.
- Set your goals.
Take the time to set yourself a few realistic personal and work goals for 2020. Do you want to aim to read a book a month, finally get around to landscaping your property, upskill in an area you are not confident in or attract new clients?
Goals, goals, goals, start 2020 fresh with a clear direction in mind.
- Don’t go back.
According to Seek.co.nz ‘a fresh start – pursuing a new career’ is one of the top five reasons why Kiwi’s leave their jobs. Make 2020 your year and finally sign up for that course, visit a careers advisor to help guide you into your next career or discuss options with your employer to continue working but take study leave.
May the force be with you all in your first week back!
Stacey Main is an organisational goddess, style queen and budding communications maven. Although she is a millennial, Stacey knows all the words to the MC Hammer classic ‘u can’t touch this’ and appreciates a good pair of bed socks. She has been warned to keep her sneaky eyes off the staff lunches, especially the boss’ fancy salad jars.