The long weekend is over. Are you feeling refreshed? Maybe, maybe not. It’s common sense that we all need to recharge our batteries, but do long holiday weekends really provide some self-care time? If you spent the weekend catching up on your favorite shows or curling up with your reading list, sure. But if you went out of town, drove here and there, and ran around doing things and seeing people, it’s understandable that you’re not coming back to the office with that relaxed feeling.
Whether you’re back feeling refreshed, or feeling like you need a vacation from your vacation, getting back to the grind is something we all have to do. To make it easier, here are some tips and tricks to help you get back into the swing of working.
1. Make some time to recover
If you can, take a day or two before returning to work to just relax, especially if you’ve been running around all vacation.
And by relaxing, treat yourself and do as little as possible. Sure, the vacuuming needs to be done, clothes need to be washed and groceries need to be bought. But if you ease your way around these tasks before going back to work, you won’t feel as fatigued when you arrive back at work.
Don’t have a day? Take some extra time in the morning to relax, sip your coffee, and take your morning slow before you have to go back to your desk and start your day. Even if you’re not a morning person, you’ll notice the difference.
Also, if you still have the day or night before you trudge back to the grind, take the opportunity to get organized, at a leisurely pace of course. Pack lunch, do laundry, pick out your clothes, and set the coffee machine up the night before. It will help you have a relaxing morning. Running around the morning before returning to work is a recipe for stress, so avoid it if possible.
2. Start your first day back with a to-do list
As you sip your morning coffee back at your desk or your workstation, don’t dive into your tasks right away! Instead, craft a to-do list featuring small, manageable tasks. Put tasks you started before you left at the top. Not only will this ensure you get those unfinished tasks done, but it could give you a sense of normalcy and get you back into the swing of work.
If you dive right into the new tasks, you can risk burning out before the workday is even over. Set those for another day unless they’re extremely urgent of time-sensitive.
3. Take breaks
Use the 80/20 rule to your full advantage. If you can, take a 5-minute break every couple of hours where you can just stretch your legs and unwind. Walk around the building, stare out the window, or even meditate. Don’t have time? Take a few seconds here and there during your day to do some deep breathing and refocus.
4. Mind your mindset
It might not seem easy, but hear us out: it’s easier than you think to shift your perspective and adapt a more positive mindset, even if you’re feeling overwhelmed. A growth mindset embraces the idea that even if we’re not at our best, we can embrace failure and “bad days” as a learning opportunity and in the moment, concentrate on what we can do rather than just throwing up our hands saying something along the lines of “I’m just bad at X, Y, or Z,” and not put your best foot forward.
Instead, use your first day (or week) back as a learning experience. How can you better manage your projects when you’re feeling overwhelmed and not entirely rested? Are there blind spots you need to work on, like timeliness or asking for help? Use this time as an opportunity to face what you’re having trouble with head on!
Embracing a growth mindset also means that change doesn’t have to happen all at once. If you only commit to getting 1% better every day, you’ll be over three times as good as you were a year later.
- See what you can delegate
If your to-do list is too long and it’s not just vacation, the first thing to do is see what you can delegate. Be it the short-term or the long term, there’s no shame in asking for help. Concentrate on what you do best. If there are any recurring tasks that aren’t in your wheelhouse, like designing and updating your website or monitoring your social media.
If digital marketing isn’t in your wheelhouse, but it’s on your to-do to improve, we can help! Call us today and see what we can remove from your plate today. Already have great solutions with us? Tell a friend! If you know a fellow business owner who can use some solutions, we have a referral program.