Holidays are important. Taking a break, whether a long weekend or a couple of weeks is important for our physical and mental health. However transitioning from a relaxed lifestyle to a demanding or fast-paced work environment can be difficult, and if the holiday period is longer, it may just make it even harder.
Not only are there structured techniques we apply as we prepare to leave the workplace for an extended period of time, there are techniques we should consider as we gear up to return.
Returning to a work rhythm can be difficult. This might mean adding the complexities of a long commute, earlier waking times, or school-aged children coordination, and these can cause difficulties for people. Often people can feel anxious about returning to the more fast paced routine or may tend to catastrophize the workload awaiting their return.
“The effects of stress and anxiety can be compounded by a high level of worry with some people ‘catastrophizing’ situations.” states Narelle Bartlett-Clark from Well Inspired Psychology. Signs to look out for in the workplace may be someone: procrastination, not meeting deadlines, falling behind, not being able to organize themselves, taking additional time off or irritable.
Setting yourself up for success
Below are a few practical steps your team can take to make sure they are preparing themselves to achieve the best results when they return to work. These include:
- Before you leave | Do what you can to set boundaries for a smooth return. For example, be sure to set an automatic reply on your emails which clearly details that you are taking a break and will not be responding to emails until you return. Give people an alternative email address they can forward urgent emails to. That way, you don’t return to what could feel like a bombardment of items on your to do list.
- Plan your re-entry | Strategically planning your re-entry (perhaps re-start on a Wednesday)
- Get organized | Schedule your days so that your high-priority tasks are completed and you schedule space to breathe!
- Prioritisation | Bundling tasks into scheduling timeslots
- Give yourself space | If meetings are too intensive immediately, ease them into your schedule in the weeks after you return
- Challenge yourself | Plan something for your personal or professional development when you return to work.
- Schedule your next holiday | Having your next holiday planned before you get back to work can give you something to look forward to
Preparing for work can add more feelings of certainty, and
make the entire process less challenging.
At work we can support this transition by acknowledging it and providing time for the team to reconnect and catch-up.
Studies show that the personal state of mind and mental health of your team significantly impacts your team culture. We strive to hire and nurture team members that really enjoy their jobs and foster positive camaraderie within the team. With your support going back to work after the summer break can be a positive experience.