Why is it that when children go back to school in September they get a few half days to ‘ease them back in’? Ok we may be slightly exaggerating, but the point is; they get a nice steady transition period to help them adjust to the harsh reality of going back to school. However, workers are faced with the reality of returning to work with no settling in phase!!! So if your going back to work with an error 404: ‘User not found’ message, fear not, this back to work survival guide will help you get through it.
Be an early bird
If your first day back in the office falls on a Monday, we feel for you. As if Mondays aren’t bad enough, it’s a workers’ worst nightmare, however, getting up early, eating a proper breakfast then heading off to work early to beat the rush is a good way to set you up for having a productive day.
Also, being in work early before your co-workers descend on you with queries that have been building up whilst you’re away, gives you the chance to get into work mode. It also means you get the peace and quiet you need to remember your computer password that has completely slipped your mind!
Tackle your emails head on
Inevitably, when you return from holiday, even if its just one day, you’ll return to email Armageddon (why is it that everyone has questions for you when you’re not there?). First you should scan through and delete anything that is non critical, then, when you’re down to a manageable number, read and respond in chronological order. You’ll need some method to the madness or it just will never end! Top tip: when someone responds to your reply, DON’T immediately respond to them. Get through the rest of your remaining unread emails before you start engaging in conversation.
Catch up on the goss
Returning to a busy office with lots to do and lots to catch up on after spending your days relaxing on the beach without a care in the world, can leave you feeling exposed. You’ve been ‘out of the loop’ and when it comes to the world of office goings on you’ll have missed a ton of gossip and activity.
Schedule a tea break with your colleagues to catch up on all the news you’ve missed whilst you’ve been away.
Regroup
It’s only natural to return to work after a holiday and feel a bit like workplace deadwood. You’ll be reminiscing about what you were doing this time last week and you’ll be easily distracted and when you’ve got a mountain of things to tackle at work, it’s sometimes really hard to get back into the swing of things and you’ll be struggling to get motivated!
When this happens, regroup and remind yourself of what you’re trying to achieve at work. Giving your work some meaning will give you the boost to get stuck back in. You might be working towards a bonus, promotion or working hard to save for something special. Reassess your goals and see where you are with them, plan your next steps and crack on and succeed.
Don’t let your holiday spirit be put out
We all get a boost from taking time off of work to relax and recharge, so don’t let returning to the office instantly crush your enthusiasm, I’m sure most people in the office will want to hear you gush over what you got up to, it’s their duty, so revel in it. Show off your holiday pictures, pass round the holiday sweets and keep your holiday spirit alive just a little bit longer!
If you need advice or guidance with any HR issue get in contact with us.
