After two weeks of annual leave, the time has come for me to return to work. Oh how sad it is! After having such a lovely few weeks off, getting back into my usual daily routine will be a challenge. But as we all know, all good things have to come to an end.
If like me, you enjoy your job and are in some way looking forward to being back in a structured environment (away from the fridge) but still have a sense of dread or can already feel the anxiety building, then come with me and let’s set ourselves up for success for our first day back at work.
Here is a seven point stress free plan to get you started and to get you back into your normal routine:
- Lunch/Dinner Prep – To help you get back into it and to give you an easier morning, prep your lunch and dinner the day before. If you buy your lunch daily, then it’s no difference for you. But if you usually make it in the morning then do all you can the night before to reduce your early rush. For dinner, see what you can do the day before, whether you batch cook or just make something that can be quicky re-heated, then do it. After day one of being back into work, you are not going to feel like doing lots of cooking when you finish for the day. So make it easy for yourself.
- Clothes – this might seem obvious or even silly, however, sorting what you are wearing for your first day back the day before, will save you time in the morning. There is nothing worse than rushing around trying to think what you want to wear only to discover, the shirt/dress/trousers are not washed/ironed/dry. So plan what you are going to wear and look out your clothes with plenty of time the day before to ensure all is good to go. Your morning self will thank you for being organised.
- Emails – If you have your works laptop at home and ONLY if it makes you feel better and would give you a boost for your first day back, then spend no more than 60 minutes, going through your emails, prioritising important tasks, deleting junk and catching up with email trail conversations. But the key is to only do this if it is going to help you feel more settled on your first day back. If in any way, it is going to stress you out, then do not do it. Leave it and get on with your final day of your holiday.
- Early Night – It doesn’t matter if you have been abroad on holiday or pottering around your local area. The likelihood is you bedtime has crept later than normal. This isn’t a bad thing as you haven’t had the pressure of an alarm to wake you up. But now work is almost upon us. Think about your usual bedtime routine. What time do you start to get ready for bed? Brush your teeth? It might seem a challenge to get back into this straight away, however, you want to give yourself the best chance of waking up feeling refreshed for your first day back. If you know you won’t be able to go to sleep when you would normally, then begin your wind down at the usual time and watch TV or read but give yourself a cut off point to finally switch the light off and go to sleep.
- Alarm/Morning routine – Whilst the thought of getting up on Monday morning is a challenge, as your beautiful lie ins become a thing of the past. The best thing to do is to get up when your alarm goes off and not hit the snooze button. It is a slippery slope to falling into a deep sleep or even worse thinking you have hit the snooze button when in fact you have switched the alarm off. Causing you to sleep in, run late and end up rushing about to get to work on time. So just get up, no matter how hard it is, you will thank yourself later. Once day one is complete, it won’t seem anywhere near as difficult when your alarm goes off the rest of the week.
- Breakfast – I know many people don’t have breakfast, whether you have a full on cooked breakfast or a cup of tea or coffee, have what you normally would and savour it. Don’t skip your usual morning moment as you will wish you had when you get stuck into work. Take the time you usually do and settle into your first day back with ease.
- Take a moment – When you get to work or when you slide into your home office. Take a moment to breathe slow and deep for at least three to five breaths. Don’t rush into everything, instead, make a cuppa, say good morning to your usual people and ease into your day by making a plan of what needs to be done. Most importantly, smile and have a great day.
Going back to work after a few weeks off can be a real thought as the enjoyment of having no schedule has been bliss. However, if you set yourself up and plan the day before, you can really help to ease yourself back in without rushing around or feeling stressed or anxious. I know I will be doing all this to help me settle back into the usual daily routine.
Have a lovely Sunday and enjoy your week.
Take care and look after you.
Love Emma xx
