Back to Work and School Following A Holiday Break

Today you woke up and realized that you had to go back to work or school. That feeling can be overwhelming. From getting up and being prepared to having to get back into a routine after not having an expectation to be on one can be hard. So how are you feeling? Stressed? Tired? Anxious? If you said yes to any of it let’s chat about it.

Back to Reality-Routine Ready

You may feel extremely tired. When you are on a holiday break or vacation and have to return it seems as if your body is extra sleepy. You may find yourself sluggish and having lack of energy. Maybe you stayed up late one more time and thought you would be fine. Ease back into your schedule. Do not be hard on yourself if it seems today is a lot of missed opportunities to do you normal routine. You will level out in a few days. Do make sure that you eat and stay hydrated. The one thing that can increase your energy is how you put energy back into your body.

Email Overload-Back to Work/Reality

Everyone has those emails that are piled high. If you were on break it’s understandable. Take your time clearing out your email. I usually get a hot glass of tea or coffee and see which email is my priority. After you hit the priority emails and solve those issues go into the longest date and work your way up. This way you are sure not to miss anything. Have a notepad or notebook next to you to write down pressing matters. This way you aren’t relying on your memory. The first days back are filled with office interruptions of “how was your holiday” and more.

Back to Work/School Movement

Add some movement into your day especially if you are working at a desk. It’s going to feel all kinds of comfortable to sit and not move. Eat your snack but maybe take a walk. Get up and do some steps where you are if it’s too cold or too rainy to take your steps outdoors. If you have a gym at you job-take your lunch at the gym. When I worked at one of my jobs they had a gym. I would always take 40 minutes at the gym for lunch and give myself time to shower before heading back. Then I would simply eat at my desk or eat as I walking back to my office. I got my movement in and I made sure that I ate to refuel.

Take a Break

It seems the first day goes so fast because there’s so much to do. Understandable to be busy. However take a break. Shut your door and listen to guided meditation. Use your phone to use an app that will help with self care. Instagram and TikTok do not count. Make the most of your break. Get some noise cancelling machine to place in your office and read a book. 15 minutes per day is a great way to give yourself a break and initiate some self care. Trust me those emails will be there when you are done. Take that break now so you aren’t completely overwhelmed.

It’s not always as easy to start your day when it’s after the holiday break. However I am sure you will do well. Sending positive energy back to you. If today also feels so bad that you need a reset-take it. There’s nothing wrong in getting what you need.