How to go back to work after a Christmas holiday?
Going back to work after a nice holiday will always make you feel sad. To help you out I’ve put together a list of tips that can help you deal with the post-holiday blues and maintain your work-life balance.
1. Set yourself work goals.
Think about what you wish to achieve this year in your job and work out what the key steps are in order for you to do this. Write or type these out and place them somewhere around your desk or office as a reminder. This will keep you motivated and on track to ensure you achieve your aspirations.
2. Keep things simple and stick to a game plan.
Not all new e-mails need to be answered today. Prioritize by sender and nature, and don’t let the numbers overwhelm you. Follow up, in detail, with people who have an immediate demand, and for those who don’t, notify them with a quick email with you will soon follow up with them. If you had a project left over from before your vacation, take care of finalizing that first. Then get to the new stuff. Delegate tasks if you can. Use time-management tools and apps to help you get through the week with ease.
3. Schedule in catch-up meetings with your team.
After everyone had gotten back into ‘work mode’ and dealt with their urgent projects, organize some catch-up meetings with your team. This will help you to understand everyone else’s aspirations for work this year and consequently, help you to delegate more effectively to coincide with what they wish to achieve and in what areas they wish to develop.
In case you miss a meeting, or take a few days off to travel, when you come back you can still know what people do without you through Winke. You can use Winke to search for keywords. Winke will let you know about the relevant discussions, who is involved in the discussion, the emails, the related files. Winke will on behalf of the organization, help you find the answer you need.
4. Use that last vacation day as a “tune out” day.
No more margaritas, parties or even phone calls. Take a day off to rebound from the vacation. Relax and enjoy quiet, alone time. Turn in early and get a good night’s rest. If your vacation doesn’t allow for that, at least plan to get in an hour early so you can prep for the next day to work. Don’t wait to sleep on the plane or take that one last hurrah. Trust me: You’ll regret it later.
5. Prepare for work the night before
Don’t get stressed and run around like a crazy person in the morning, do a little planning the night before. Decide what you want to wear and make sure that it’s clean and pressed. Find everything you need for work including, purse, bag, keys, passes,… You wouldn’t want to get to work early and realizie that you don’t have your clock-in dongle with you.
Going back to work after the Christmas break is never easy, however, these techniques will help to make the return to work more manageable, effective and enjoyable. Don’t balance work and life, blend them.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
