Whew! The holidays are over and you have either been enjoying some down time off to lounge around, or you have been going a million miles per minute. Now. . . it’s time to get back to reality!
Getting back into the swing of things can be quite jolting. Did you know post holiday blues cause about 25 percent of Americans to be depressed for a few weeks after the holidays? How can you combat the blues on the job?
Let’s look at some great ways to put a ‘hitch in your get-along’ once you get back to work.
1. Find your motivation to go back to work.
You should start here, so that you can build momentum before you get back into the office. Here are some ways to get motivated to work:
- Prepare the night before work – Sitting out everything you need the night before, such as keys, an outfit, and even by reviewing your work to-do list can help you feel ready when you wake up — rather than starting your day off in as a frazzled mess.
- Eat awell-balanced breakfast – Your day really starts here. It can help you cognitively as well as help you get that holidayweight off.
- Do some physical activity – This does not have to be running or lifting weights, but do something that gets you in a positivemind-body balance.
2. Organize your desk and email.
One thing that can be very overwhelming upon your return is all the email that is waiting for you. Here are some ways to alleviate this stress:
- Get rid of spam – You can start by immediately trashing all the spam — and for the future go ahead andput filters in place to keep it from getting to you in the first place.
- Tackle high priority items – Take care of these right away so you can get it off your plate and can move onto other things.
- Prioritize your emails – Make folders or color code by importance and place the emails in their proper places. Then, when you come back to your emails, start with the high priority items and work your way through them.
3. Think about what you can look forward to.
Start thinking about what you want to accomplish in the New Year in the early days when you join work and get yourself revved up to take action to meet some career goals. Now is a great time to decide where you want to go with your career, and start putting acareer action plan in place to give you some new goals to look forward to.
4. Reminisce the holidays.
If you are down because you love all the family time you get to enjoy around the holidays, put some pictures on your desk that you took during that time. You won’t miss them and probably beat the after holiday blues.
5. Look forward to something new.
Here are some things you may have coming up that you can get excited about:
- Birthdays and special events – Maybe it’s your co-workers birthday, or perhaps someone in your office — even you — may be receiving an award or recognition for something soon. Use that time to celebrate with co-workers to beat the post holiday blues!
- Concerts – Book some concerts throughout the year and you will have something to look forward to while you are working hard all week. Wear your new clothes you got during the holidays and display the things that you received for the office in your workspace!
- Sporting events – You can do this on your own, or even see if it is something that your co-workers would be interested in. Maybe they would want to go in on a season ticket package together for the office, and you could have a competition for the seats weekly.
- Vacation – Plan your next vacation away from work so that you know you will have some restful downtime again in the near future. Sometimes, just taking time off and relaxing at home is just what you need. Take a look at your schedule and vacation time and use it where you need it most.
6. Take time out of each day for yourself.
Take a step outside on your break and think about all the things for which you are thankful. Many people feel let down after the holidays because the holidays just didn’t meet their expectations in some way. It will raise your spirits to think about what you do have!
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Are you ready to put the holiday season behind you and look forward to a new year in your job? Share your tips below on how you beat the post holiday blues.
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