We’re officially in the holiday season, and whilst we’re all gearing up for a well-earned break, it can create some worries when people are returning to work after a couple of weeks off. We’ve sourced some useful advice that can make getting back into the groove more straightforward.
Organise before you leave
Give yourself every chance of a smooth return and set your workspace up before you leave. Make a list of your ongoing projects and their current status, being away can certainly make you forget the finer details. If some things cannot wait until you are back in, delegate them to colleagues and make a list of who is responsible for each task, give this list to your boss so they can keep track as well.
Set up an out-of-office and voicemail to leave everyone aware during your time out. The last thing you want is angry clients who couldn’t get hold of you!
Have a buffer day
Having an extra day away might seem counter-intuitive, but it will allow you to run some errands at home, getting back into your usual routine. Use it to go grocery shopping, do the laundry or just get over the jet lag if you’ve been long haul.
Keep the First Morning Free
The temptation might be to book yourself a load of meetings to make up for what you’ve missed over the past few days. But this will cause stress and leave you with more to do, block the time off in your calendar, the last thing you need on your first day is people bombarding you with requests.
Pace Yourself
Instead of rushing into your workload, trying to get as much done as possible, take a step back and don’t burn yourself out early. Prioritise an enjoyable task first, to get back into work mode doing something you really enjoy. Remember that you’re going from a place of relaxation into something a little busier, so make that transition as gentle as possible.
Think back to your holiday
If you are getting a bit of post-holiday blues, which is completely normal, just think back to your favourite memories with gratitude. Potentially book something small for the weekend, so you’ve got another trip to look forward to.
If you’re currently looking forward to a trip away, have a great time! We hope this blog can help ease you back into work. If there’s something else you’ve found to help when you get back, let us know in the comments below.