5 ways to transition from holidays to work days
(BPT) - The holidays are over, and it’s officially back-to-work season. It’s time to trade holiday sweaters for smart blazers, fuzzy slippers for high heels and cookie decorating for conference calls.
Whether you’re feeling energized by your time off or daunted by the weeks ahead, you could probably use a little help getting back into the swing of things. With a few simple tips (and a couple sweet indulgences) to help you stay balanced, you’ll be conquering your projects and exceeding your goals in no time.
1. Take yourself out. The transition from holidays to work days is hard enough without a sad desk lunch to greet you at noon. Battle the post-holiday blues by treating yourself and some of your favorite coworkers to a nice lunch away from the desk — and preferably away from the office. Ditching plastic forks for white tablecloths will do wonders for your mood, and chatting with your work besties will give you a chance to catch up on the latest news from around the office and beyond.
2. Master your meetings. If you’ve been away from the office for a couple weeks, the last thing you need is back-to-back meetings on your first day back. Get ahead of it, and reserve plenty of time on your calendar for working, not just talking about it — especially early in the week when your to-do list is at peak length. As the week (and your energy) dwindles, schedule the meetings you need to gain consensus on projects and plan for the weeks ahead.
3. Fight the 3 p.m. slump. We’ve all experienced it — the dreaded and seemingly unavoidable afternoon slump. Powering through is a lot easier when you have a sweetly caffeinated sidekick, like Skinny Cow Creamy Iced Coffee. Taking a break and getting a jolt of caffeine with these rich, superbly satisfying iced coffees transforms the 3 p.m. slump into a sweet moment to recharge both your energy and your optimism. Keep them stowed away in your desk drawer, or chilled in the refrigerator for those must-have moments. Find all three delicious flavors at your local grocery store or Amazon.com.
4. Tame your to-do list. Post-holiday to-do lists can be quite daunting. But, if you look past the sheer number of tasks, you’ll notice a lot of them are really straightforward. On your first day back in the office, get into the groove by surveying your action items and crossing off as many simple things as possible. If it takes less than 10 minutes to do, just do it — you will feel a lot less cluttered and more able to focus on the bigger projects and problem-solving ahead.
5. Indulge a little. The holidays may be over, but you still deserve little rewards and moments to recharge. Whether you’re celebrating a small victory or gearing up for a busy afternoon, be sure to step away and treat yourself in some small way every day — schedule a quick massage, zen out in a relaxing meditation session or enjoy a sweet treat, like Skinny Cow Creamy Iced Coffee.
Follow these simple tips to ease your transition back to work, while still making time for the people, experiences and moments that make it all worthwhile.
