You aren’t alone if you have ever felt that you needed a vacation – after a vacation. Now that fireworks and processed meat on a grill are behind us, it’s unfortunately – for some, time to head back into the office.
No one, and I mean no one, wants to think about emails, deadlines, and managing finances or meetings after an amazing holiday. At the end of the day, it can’t be avoided, especially if you want to survive your first days back without having a mental burnout. We understand getting over the 4-day weekend slump, and we put together some tips and tricks to get through the post-holiday slump and increase your efficiency.
1. If you can swing it, don’t go back to work right after your vacation’s over.
Give yourself some time to get back into the groove of things. If you can, take a day or two to relax and recuperate before heading back into the office. Even if you need to tidy-up around the house or run errands, give yourself at least a few hours to chill.
2. Ease your way back into work with remote time, if your job is flexible.
Either the day before returning to work or the morning of returning to work, take some time to plan out your day, or if you can with today’s workforce – ask to work 1-2 days remotely. Make a to-do list with everything you know you need to do and prioritize what needs to be done. Asking for some remote time can give you the space to catch up on e-mails and reprioritize your day-to-day.
3. Bring a little piece of your vacation home with you.
Souvenirs are great personal mementos that can remind you that it’s okay to take a break and enjoy life. Recovering from fatigue can be as simple as reminiscing. In her book, “The Myths of Happiness“, UC Riverside psychology professor Sonja Lyubomirsky has found that reminiscing about a trip brings you immense pleasure. We think that this firework snowglobe concept is amazing!
4. Go to work with a new set of eyes.
I had to come up with a strategy of how to approach a new client about a possible collaboration. Stumped, I decided to wait to connect until after I was done with my vacation. Good thing I did. While I was in a queue for a sandwich (of all places), I got an idea about what I should present that would still be unique and engaging for them.
Maybe you were frustrated with a task before you went on vacation because you couldn’t make it work. After being away from it for a while, you can look at it differently and offer a new perspective. Sometimes you just need time away to get a little jumpstart on your work.
5. Take breaks during the day.
Going into full work-mode without any breaks is a recipe for a burnout. Don’t let guilt force you into believing that you have to work yourself into the ground because you were away. At one time, your co-workers also went on vacation. They don’t (and shouldn’t) expect you to break your back trying to catch up in one day.
Be kind to yourself and remember that you deserved your vacation and the time it takes to recover from it. Take about a five or ten-minute break every three hours to decompress and relax. It may seem impossible, but you’ll make it through. Focus on one thing at a time.
Here at Onyx Digital, we hope you had a great 4th of July, and are fueled and focused to tackle the week ahead.