How to beat the return to work blues
For education staff, the challenge of returning to work after the holidays is tougher this year, because that break was so badly needed, and the onset of the Omicron COVID-19 variant dashed hopes of a settled start to the new school year.
So, how do you overcome the end-of-holiday blues and adopt a positive outlook at the start of 2022? We’ve gone a little left field to offer creative suggestions for hitting the ground running (or at least not crawling).
Prepare, with a day off
Avoid the whole issue, advises fairygodboss.com. They suggest you give yourself a day or two “to relax and recuperate from, well, relaxing and recuperating” before going to work.
“Take the day to catch up on sleep, do your laundry, grocery shop, prep your meals for the week and get your life in order before the work week takes over. The point is to give your mind time to adjust while also tackling what you can at home to prepare yourself for diving back into your usual routines.”
The recruitment experts at hays.com say the way you think about the first day back can determine how it turns out, so focus on the elements within your role you enjoy. It could be a a particular project “or even visiting your favourite coffee shop during your lunch hour”.
Plan a holiday
No, we are not taking the mickey. This is suggested by no less an authority than the Centre for Emotion Centered Practice – and they have an official looking logo. These psychologists say plotting your next escape “can actually be a boost”.
“It gives you something to look forward to and may help with the post-vacation anxiety.”
Symptoms of that syndrome apparently include:
· Trouble sleeping
· Excessive/irrational worry
· Restlessness and irritability
· Headaches and poor attention or concentration
· A change in appetite or self-medicating with things such as sugary foods or alcohol
· Exaggerated startle reaction
· Feeling jittery
· Tiredness or fatigue
· The feeling of a lump in your throat
· Shaking/trembling,
· Dry mouth
· Sweating
· A pounding/racing heart.
Now, how productive are you going to be whilst suffering from those afflictions? Google new destinations pronto!
Have a natter
Upskilled also wants you to utilise positive thinking (they’re American). But they offer a useful shortcut – share your holiday good vibes with workmates and encourage them to share their time-off stories.
“These conversations strengthen your bonds with co-workers and ease the “pain” of returning to the workplace. (Who knows – you may even be recommended a new activity or place to explore for your next trip.)”
Plan something after work
If workplace conversations haven’t given you enough of a boost, Kaitlyn Russell from The Muse suggests a Day One post-work get-together with colleagues to give you something non-work related to look forward to during Day One. Maybe don’t go too hard in her happy hour though, a hangover on Day Two might undermine the benefits of companionship on day one.
Have an email plan
Ashira Prossack from forbes.com says starting your first day back at work by checking your emails will frustrate you. “Yes, there are likely hundreds of unread messages, but none of them so important that they can’t wait another an hour”. Once you do engage with emails, don’t read them chronologically, advises Lifehack.com. Instead, sort them either by subject or by sender to find out what happened while you were gone, not when things happened. This technique makes it easier to delete any emails that are no longer relevant.
Plan breaks
What are a few minutes off but a mini holiday? “Human brains simply cannot focus effectively for long periods of time without a break,” careeeraddict.com remind us. They advise use of The Pomodoro Technique, in which you work for 25 minutes at a time, with a 5-minute break after each work period. After you’ve completed four of these 25-minute sessions, give yourself a longer break — 15–30 minutes — to fully recharge your batteries.
It’s said Pomodoro “provides a healthy structure for you to concentrate on the tasks at hand for a sustainable amount of time, and then to give your brain the breathing space it needs to regroup for the next session”.
Leave on time
This one might be in your control if you’re an education worker, but lifehack.com says “… just because you were on vacation doesn’t mean you have to put in more hours at work! Don’t play the hero. Make a point to leave the office on time. Set a timer or reminder, if need be, to help you get out the door.”
There will be plenty of opportunities to overwork later!
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