How to face going back to work after the holidays

How can we face going back to work after the holidays?  Here are 8 tips to follow in order to avoid trauma: practical suggestions designed to help you resume your professional duties as painlessly as possible!

1. Do not suddenly reduce your hours of sleep

Although we sleep for longer during the holidays, when we go back to work it is important not to suddenly reduce the number of hours we sleep, for example going from 10 per night to just 6.  If you have trouble getting to sleep, try a warm bath or some herbal tea.

2. Do not suspend exercise

On your return from holiday, it is important not to suspend any physical exercise you were doing during your break from the office, because exercise reduces stress and improves sleep quality.  Once you are back in the office, continue to devote some time to sport.

3. Pay attention to your diet

In order to stay in shape after the holidays, it is advisable to keep an eye on your diet, by sticking to healthy lunches and snacks;  avoid ready-packaged snacks and high fat foods which can make digestion and concentration more difficult.

4. Resume work gradually

In order to avoid your return to work being too stressful, it is advisable to resume your duties gradually, while taking regular breaks, looking up from the computer periodically and not staying in the office longer than planned.

5. Prioritise tasks so as to avoid overload

If lots of tasks have accumulated while you were on holiday, when you go back to work it is a good idea to divide them into categories according to importance and then work through them calmly.  Overloading yourself with work as soon as you get back causes un-necessary anxiety and worry.

6. Organise pleasant, enjoyable weekends

In order not to switch from the total relaxation of the holidays to the frenetic rhythms of work too quickly, it is advisable to organise fun weekends, which will make your return to work a little more pleasant.

7. Make some changes

When feeling down at the thought of going back to work, it is essential to make a few changes to your routine:  by simply varying the layout of objects on your desk or similar, you will see some un-expected improvements.

8. Make plans for the future

If, on returning from your holiday, you make some plans for the future, you will certainly feel more motivated to go on.  The ideal is to think big (but not too big), while setting yourself some objectives which are totally achievable.

Translated by Joanne Beckwith