Back to Work: 8 Tips After the Holidays
As 2023 comes to an end, many of us will be taking some time off work. Whether it’s a few days at home or a week on a tropical vacation, we all deserve some downtime to decompress and spend time with our loved ones. But in the back of our minds, we have that one dreaded thought: the return to work.
Returning to a physical workplace helps switch our minds back to work mode. But what happens if your home and work are in the same place? Unfortunately, this transition can take a bit of a more conscious effort when working remote.
8 tips to feel refreshed after the holidays when working from home
Take a buffer day
As much as the holidays are meant to be relaxing, they can sometimes feel just as stressful as work. Amidst all the hustle and bustle, give yourself a day of true relaxation. Whether that means vegging out on the couch or hitting up the gym, give yourself a self-care day in whatever way works for you.
Check your work calendar
The day before your return, take a few minutes to check your calendar to ensure no surprise meetings or projects have sprung on you. Doing so will give you time to mentally prepare for your return.
Don’t start the day checking emails
You’ll likely have hundreds of unread emails but don’t start your day checking them. It seems counterproductive, but checking that overflowing inbox first thing will do nothing but frustrate you. Instead, start your day off with a “warm-up” task. Whether reconnecting with colleagues on Teams or tidying your workspace, the goal is to ease into the day.
When it comes time to check your inbox, be strategic. Your best bet is to start by scanning through the subject line and categorize emails by messages you need to take action for and ones that just need to be read. From there, you can gauge each message’s priority for maximum efficiency.
Have a day plan
You need a game plan. Compile a list of tasks that must be done within your first day. Rank them by priority and keep your list visible to stay on track during the day. Having a plan will keep you on track when faced with distractions.
Get organized
On your return day, take your first hour to get yourself resituated. Tidy up and reorganize your desk. A clean workspace will help you get into the right mindset. Grab a cup of coffee (or two) and connect with colleagues or your team to get back into the swing of things.
Fix your mindset
This is a pretty obvious tip, but when working from home, it can be so easy to get caught up in other household chores. After some time off, it’s easy to forget your home is also your office eight hours a day. That load of laundry can quickly turn into vacuuming the house and then meal prepping for the week, and it just keeps snowballing, and the next thing you know, you’ve forgotten your work.
On the other hand, make sure you also have time for your home life. Putting in an extra hour or so of work is tempting, but it’s a slippery slope. Getting back into routine might take some time, but set strict work hours and stick to them. Just because you work from home doesn’t mean you always need to be working.
Dress for the job you have
We’ve all heard the saying, “Dress for the job you want,” but what about dressing for the job you already have? Why wouldn’t you want to stay in your sweatpants all day when you work from home? Sure, no one is going to see you, but wearing pyjamas all day can make it feel like the vacation is still going. Dressing how you would if you were to go into the office can reset your mindset and define the boundaries between your personal and professional life.
Set reasonable time goals
You probably have a lot on your plate, but remember, it’s okay if not everything gets done on your first day back. Extending your work hours might seem to help you catch up faster, but it’s only going to lead to burnout. Set reasonable deadlines and goals for each task to help guide you as you transition back to work in the upcoming weeks. Remember, it’s a marathon and not a sprint.
The Best IT Recruitment Agency in Toronto | About Live Assets | IT Staffing Solutions
Live Assets is a boutique IT Staffing/Recruiting firm specializing exclusively in building IT teams of excellence for the Information Technology sector.
We are a small, but productive team that works closely together and has had a 96% success rate for the past number of years!
We have a diverse number of clients and industries and focus on both full-time and contract I.T. opportunities.
You can find out more about our company on LinkedIn – Twitter – Facebook –Youtube – Glassdooor