December can be a slow month at work for many, with workload hitting an all time low, causing some companies to take a break for the month altogether.
Fast forward to the New Year, most of us will feel the blues returning to work. The dread is real, and so is the piling work. How you kick start your work year sets the tone for the weeks and months ahead. Without proper adjustment, you might get off the wrong start and affect productivity ahead.
Getting back into the groove doesn’t have to be unpleasant. Here’s a step-by-step ritual to warm up your engines, get your gears running and help you charge into the new year at top speed.
Get a mindset makeover
They say acceptance is half the battle won. The first step to getting your groove back is acknowledging that the blues will hit you. Give yourself that much-needed pep talk to ease any jitters, then embrace the start of your new year at work.
Hit the sacks early
You need to go to bed early, starting at least two days before you return to work. Getting into the habit, days before the first workday will help transition your mind into work-mode early and gently. This may sound like a no-brainer but is often forgotten.
Sort your emails and tasks according to importance
When you’re back into the office, don’t be surprised by the avalanche of emails waiting for you, take time to go through your inbox.
We don’t recommend dealing with the emails sitting right at the top of your inbox first. Go down your inbox, make notes on the important emails that require immediate attention and the action points needed following these emails. This will help you map out your tasks for the day and the week, saving you from a possible “heart attack” from an important email that you might have missed or have not gotten to.
Take intermittent breaks
Getting back into your job after a relaxing holiday isn’t easy and going full on on your first day back could be too intense. Take breaks in between tasks, get up and stretch or go for a short walk if you need, so you don’t wear yourself out throughout the day.
Think about your next holiday
Work hard, but you also shouldn’t forget to play harder. Have you got a trip planned? If you do, let that be a break for you that spurs you push yourself at work.
Knowing you’ve given your best effort at work makes the break a whole lot sweeter.
