5 ways to beat the back to work blues

As September rolls round once more, previously deserted offices are suddenly packed again as a whole new term gets underway. With the prospect of long dark days, leaves on the track, performance reviews and Christmas rearing its head, it’s all too easy to sink into the back to work blues as we wave goodbye to the carefree days of summer.  If that’s you, here’s my survival guide to breeze you through until Christmas.

desk and computer monitor

Benzado Work station

1) Ease back in gently – If you’ve just returned from two weeks of carefree cocktails by the pool, the return to the working routine will take some re-adjustment.  Resist the panic-stricken urge to tackle everything at once and give yourself a couple of days breathing space to catch up on the out-of-control inbox.  Prioritise only the tasks that are wildly important and postpone scheduling any meetings or deadlines for new projects until the following week.

2) Get creative – Once you’re installed back at your desk, it’s all too easy to settle back into the straitjacket of your old habits.  Make the most of your relaxed and refreshed post-holiday mood to see things with fresh eyes.  Schedule an hour to brainstorm how you could do things differently. Whether it’s setting up a new process or simply booking a lunch break once a week, small changes can revolutionise your working day.  Now’s the time to take action.

3) Anchor the feel-good-holiday feeling – Sucked into the chaos of deadlines and back-to-back meetings, the relaxed post-holiday feeling can disappear quicker than a £59.00 Eurostar offer.  Get it back in a flash by using simple NLP techniques which help you re-live the positive emotions of your holiday anytime, anyplace, anywhere.  Try it out before a performance review or your next showdown with the Finance Director.

4) Embark on a new activity – As the long dark nights draw in, it’s all too easy to return home from work and sink into squalid sofa-living for the next six months.  Trying out a new evening course will not only get you away from Take Me Out but will also give you a positive purpose and direction in life.  Whether its martial arts or mosaics, video production or volunteering, there’s a course out there with your name on it and who knows where it will take you?

5) Plan your next office breakwhen last week’s holiday already seems like a lifetime ago, it’s time to start planning your next big adventure.  Whether it’s a hiking trip to Snowdonia or a shopping break to New York, having something to look forward to is a great motivator and a timely reminder that you’re working to live and not living to work.  What are your dream destinations?  Where would you like to go in 2014?  What are the moments that you want to look back on by this time next year?

What are your top tips for breaking back into work?   I would love to hear your thoughts.

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