Ways to Cope Being Back at Work after the Holidays

The sounds of happy celebrations and relatives reuniting are starting to fade, as have the leftovers from your holiday feast. After all of the joy and fun you experienced during the holidays, it’s about time for you to go back to work. 

It seems like you just started your holiday, but now you have to say goodbye to relaxing with family and friends. Soon you will be putting your nose to the grindstone again. 

Here are ways you can cope with returning to your job following the holiday season.

1. Declutter Your Space

When you get back to your job, you might feel a bit nervous because of so much clutter in your space. Get rid of all unnecessary items, including old paperwork. Any hard copy documents you have should go into folders that you keep organized in a cabinet. Sort through your inbox to remove junk. When your desk is clear of debris, you’ll feel better about being back at work.

2. Make New Goals and Set Your Most Urgent Priorities

This year can mark a progression in your career if all goes well. To get started, set some new goals to help you envision what success will look like at your job. You might aim for a promotion or ask to be cross-trained so you can work with people in different departments. It’s also a good idea to make a list of the most urgent priorities, so you can view them clearly and figure out a plan to attack each one.

3. Remember to Take Care of Yourself

Rather than becoming overwhelmed with a huge crush of new tasks when you get back to work, it’s a good idea to take things slowly at first. If you don’t take care of yourself, who will? A burnt-out employee is no good to anyone, after all. So remember to take breaks on a regular basis, especially the first week back.

4. Catch up With Colleagues

One great thing about coming back to work after a break for the holidays is that you have an opportunity to catch up with your work friends and share how your holidays have been. Catching up with colleagues is an excellent way to smooth out the process of getting back into your work routine after the relaxation of the holidays has ended.

5. Enjoy Your Work But Leave it Behind When it’s Time to Go Home

Employees will be happier when they are able to focus on work while they’re in the office, but then let it all go when it’s time to finish at the end of the day. Strive to leave your work baggage in the office, so you can relax and enjoy time with your family in the comforts of your home.

6. A Smooth Transition Back to Work, Post-Holidays

The transition back to work after some much-needed time off for the holidays can be a bit jarring for some. But if you take a moment to gather your thoughts and then try using these various ways to cope, chances are very good you will have a better time, coping with being back on the job after the holiday season.