The return to work after the festive season can be quite a challenge. Janu-worry has earned its name for good reason – it generally feels like the longest month and the least favourite one of the year. In this blog, we look at ways to fight the back-to-work blues and have a happy start to the year.
Here are four simple tips to help you achieve that happy start:
- Schedule a meeting with your inbox
Try to resist the urge to quickly click the ‘all unread’ and ‘delete’ buttons. While last year is done and dusted – 2022’s emails and assignments did not vanish in a cloud of sparkling smoke on New Year’s Day. Set aside a morning to tackle that backlog of emails as your first duty of the year. You don’t have to respond to every email that comes in, but you can use them to create a to-do list. This way, you’ll know what to do and won’t have to worry that something bad happened while you were away.
- Clean up your desktop and double-check your setup
Returning to work after the holidays may be made much more difficult if your computer and filing system are in disarray or if your computer setup is uncomfortable. Take this early-year opportunity to examine and clean up your setup. A fresh start might help you build momentum and save time in the long term during the course of the year.
- Prioritise quick jobs
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by any remaining work left hanging at the end of 2022, try the tried-and-test productivity strategy of completing all minor jobs first. They may not be the most critical or pressing, but crossing more items off your list will make you feel like you’re doing more, and who knows, the momentum may take you all the way through the more difficult chores as well.
- Schedule some time to work from home
Returning to work after the holidays might feel like pulling off a plaster. If your company allows home working, make use of it in January to ease yourself back into the routine. Try one day in the office (for any required meetings and catching up with colleagues), followed by a day at home when you can happily reminisce about all those hours you spent on the beach with no concern in the world.
When you return from a break, it’s typical to work more slowly. Trying even one of these tactics listed above should be sufficient to get you back on track in your personal capacity at work.
In a corporate role, if last year’s IT needs were arduous and left you in desperate need of recovery throughout the holiday season, you may want some assistance and might consider outsourcing the work. We’re here to relieve the stress.
Click through for more details on our team and our services or give us a call on 021 531 5180.
Doing business better. Together.
