Getting Back to Your Daily Post Holiday Work Routine

A lot of us look forward to a long holiday break. But after encountering family drama and eating heavy meals, some of us may look forward to getting back to our daily routine. Others may enjoy their allotted time off from work and are not so hasty to “going back to the grind”.  This is known as post holiday syndrome and many of us suffer from it. Therefore, some of us may have difficulty reacclimatizing to the work environment. Holidays come and go. They were fun and relaxing while they lasted.  We still have bills to pay and we only get paid so much for holidays.  Here are several useful tips that can help you tune in for the busy workday again and beat the post holiday syndrome.

Returning to the usual routine and quieter workplace can dampen your spirits. Moreover, if your holiday wasn’t enjoyable, you can be left feeling down about the lack of enjoyment you'd expected and this can sour your mood. Lower your expectations and don’t anticipate excitement upon returning to the office. Expecting to feel a little low is a way of telling yourself that this is a normal feeling and that it will soon pass once the routine re-establishes itself.

Budgeting your time can help you get back into your work routine. Try not to arrive back from the holiday the day before you have to start to work again. Finish your holiday at least 2 days before that, so you won’t be cranky on Monday and you can start your daily routine, reacclimatize and tune in mentally for work again during the last 2 days. It can also be a good idea to get back to work on Wednesday or Thursday, so you only have to work for 2 or 3 days on your first week.

Prioritize your tasks and organize your work. Don’t try to do everything at once. If you have important tasks and assignments to do, try focusing on the small pieces of these assignments. This will help you maintain your concentration at work and minimize the distraction of holiday memories.  Focus on the more important tasks before moving forward with your other assignments.  If the task is urgent, minimize your coffee breaks.

It goes without saying; misery likes company. Some of the post-holiday blues can be triggered by being around many familiar faces during the holidays then suddenly finding yourself surrounded by people you don’t know well. Lift your spirits by continuing to stay connected with friends and family, and getting out and about to do activities where other people interact with you.

Remain optimistic and look forward to the year ahead.  As difficult as it can be, it may behoove you to keep a positive frame of mind. Planning interesting and creative events throughout the year can help keep your current post holiday depression in check. Think ahead to the changing seasons and the sorts of things you'd like to be doing as the year moves on, and the sorts of activities and events you'd like to be a part of. Doing something about the things you'd like to happen is the first step and once you're immersed in planning and doing, you'll be too busy to fret.