Hopefully you took a much-needed break over the Christmas period, whether you celebrate Christmas or not. Firstly, well done for actually letting yourself rest. That may sound condescending, but it’s genuinely heartfelt - it is really hard to let yourself take a break when you’re used to working at 150%. But now it’s January, and, just as hard, you’re having to gear up to get back to work in the new year. Read on for some tips on how to make this process as smooth as possible.
Eat well
If you’re nervous about going back to work after a bit of time off, it can take a physical toll on you. Nervousness or anxiousness can often manifest as nausea, for example. If this is the case for you, it can make it pretty hard to stomach food, but actually, the right food will help you to feel better. Dry foods such as crackers or toast are often recommended for when you are experiencing nausea, and cold food is better than warm food for an unsettled stomach. Also, drinking lots of water will help to combat nausea and keep yourself generally healthy.
Make sure you are making time for yourself
Don’t throw yourself right back into staying at work late every night and working through your lunch break. Make sure you are going easy on yourself and allowing yourself the time you need to readjust. Make time for yourself, whatever form that takes - maybe it means spending some time on hobbies, maybe it means watching a few episodes of your favourite show, maybe it means having a bath and putting on a face mask.
Take note of what you are looking forward to
Every job has its downsides but when going back to work in the new year, try to focus on the good bits. What projects are you looking forward to working on? Which colleagues are you excited to catch up with? Making a list of the things you are looking forward to will help you to stay positive and be less worried about returning to work.
Think about how to make your days a little more enjoyable
Break up your routine and spice up your commute with new books to read or podcasts to listen to. This doesn’t have to mean dropping a small fortune on a huge reading list you will probably give up on halfway through the first book. Check your bookshelves and see if you can find any books you never got round to reading. And you can find loads of free podcasts online, you’re sure to find something that will catch your eye!
Schedule some time to tackle your emails
It’s pretty horrible to come back to work and see your inbox overflowing, but unfortunately, it’s unavoidable. Schedule yourself some time to sit down and tackle them head on. It’s a good idea to give yourself a couple of hours to work through your backlog in the morning when you first go back to work so that it doesn’t keep building up. It’s boring and long but it’s got to be done. Pop your headphones in, listen to your favourite playlist and just work your way through the emails one at a time. You’ll thank yourself for it after!
Prioritise your tasks
It can be overwhelming and stressful to think about the tasks you need to complete in a vague, general way. To make the tasks seem like less of an impassable mountain, figure out what needs to be done first and what can wait. Make a timeline for the tasks so that you can prioritise what’s most important and get that done first. This will ease your stress and make things more manageable.
Hopefully these tips help ease your post-holiday blues and give you an idea of how to go back to work as smoothly and stress-free as possible. It’s normal to be worried about going back to work after a break, but if you are experiencing feelings of anxiety that are interfering with your daily life, it may be time to either change your job or get some support.
If you think you might need a career change, get in touch with suze@rubymagpie.com to see how we can help you.
If you need some support regarding feelings of anxiety and general mental health, please see www.mind.org.uk for useful resources and advice.