The holidays are the perfect time to have fun, let loose, and eat and drink more than you should. Most of us take the last couple of weeks of the year to turn away from our work, all of the endless emails, and the nonstop Zoom meetings. This allows our focus to turn wholeheartedly towards family, fun, and holiday fesitivites (which it should). All of this downtime and social activity, however, can make it that much more difficult to get back into the normal swing of things once the celebrations are over.
Here are a few ways that you can return to your regular routine after the holiday cheer subsides:
- Ease in slowly. Whether you know it or not, that time-out was really good for you, so don’t jump in and overdo it upon your return to the office just to compensate for the lag. Take a few hours to get caught up on your emails and readjust before you delve into new projects and endless meetings. You can slowly work your way back up to pre-holiday levels.
- Get back to your normal sleeping and eating habits. It’s likely that your daily routine is now completely out of whack. Try to move steadily towards your old schedule in order to get back to eating and sleeping the way that you normally would. Your body will thank you for it.
- Make sure some fun remains. It’s hard to go from all of that pleasant diversion to a strict work routine. You don’t have to quit the festivities cold turkey, though. Schedule a night (or two) out for yourself to prolong the feelings of joy that you experienced over your break. You deserve to have fun all the time- not just once in a while!
- Give yourself goals. The new year is the time to start fresh. Seize that opportunity. What are your goals in terms of your schedule, your balance, and your life? Set your obectives to be successful in all aspects of your life in the new year. Health, happiness, and prosperity are waiting ust around the corner for you.
- Be patient with yourself. If you got derailed over the holidays, that’s okay. Don’t beat yourself up- you took a much needed break and celebrated to the fullest. Provide yourself the time you need to get back on track, and be patient with yourself if you don’t feel like jumping in right away.
- Remember that you need some downtime too. Self-care is critical and we often forget that, particularly over the holidays when there is so much to do. Chances are that you are actually coming back from the holidays tired and not at your full energy levels. Carve out some time to care for yourself and recharge. You’ll need that extra boost to accomplish all that you want to in 2023!