by B. Taylor

Created on: January 01, 2009   Last Updated: February 13, 2009

The more people have enjoyed the pleasure of time off for the Holidays, the harder it is to get back into the mindset of working every day. Even if they just had a break for a day or two, it can be hard to leave the fun of family and friends, food and drink, and fun and relaxation.

Relaxation and enjoyment are necessary elements in life; if people never have fun and relax they will not be as productive at work. It is important to relax during the Holiday break, and equally important to relax while preparing to return to work. When vacation is coming to an end, focus on the positives. Think about having the best possible experience returning to work and what can be accomplished once there.

Step One is to correct your sleep cycle. Showing up exhausted to work impresses nobody, especially the boss. Get out of the mode of staying up late and getting up whenever, so that it will be easier to get to sleep the night before work. The alarm clock is going to ring at 6:00 a.m. whether you get to sleep by 10 p.m. or 2 a.m. Toward the end of vacation, start going to bed earlier to put your body back on its usual schedule.

Step Two is to thoroughly clean your home after the Holidays. People who work long hours don't want to perform the extra chores associated with Holiday clean-up after having gone back to work. Put the decorations away and give the home a good clean-up to feel normal when leaving for work and arriving back home.

Step Three is part of housework. Make sure there are clean clothes set aside for the first few days of work. 6:30 a.m. is a bad time to discover that nothing clean matches!

Step Four is to prepare food for the first day back at work. That seems funny when there is a freezer teeming with Holiday leftovers, but frozen turkey will not take the place of coffee in the morning. Make sure you have what you need on weekday mornings before its too late.

Step Five happens after arriving at work. Fight feeling slow and sluggish by greeting others cheerfully. Right away, take stock of what has to be done and go over where you left projects before vacation. Remember everything you are supposed to do; it is easy to fall out of the swing of things and be forgetful when you have taken time off. Now is a good time to make a to do list to organize the morning or the whole day. Connect with co-workers about any joint projects or issues as soon as you get the chance; this will help get you back into your old routine.

When you feel good about what you did on the first day back, you will feel good on the following days and will have made your transition back to work nice and smooth. So, have a great first day back by doing the best job you can do.

Learn more about this author, B. Taylor.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.