Getting back to work in the New Year can be a challenge for even the most diligent of over-achievers.
Cheese happened.
Netflix bingeing happens.
More cheese happened.
Days merged into one.
Cheese.
When it comes to getting back to work, you are not alone if you have a head full of cotton balls, have forgotten every password you ever had and are wondering if a quick nap at 11am is permitted.
Fear not, though. We have come up with a range of ways to kickstart the "New Working Year" regardless of your job title (or cheese status).
1. Coffee
Coffee. Coffee.
2. Orientate yourself
Take some time to get yourself organised — whether an hour, a morning, or a day. Think about your goals and make sure that you’re working on your real priorities and not just jumping back into a to-do list.
If you work remotely, establish a routine: sleep hygiene before bed, coffee ritual in the morning. Oh, and change out of your pyjamas. Regulate your day, but give yourself permission to not be totally back on track yet.
If you've been traveling, make time to do the non-work things that help you feel settled in again, like unpacking all your bags, doing laundry, and shopping for groceries. Don't try to push through a week of work eating cereal and wearing your least-favourite pair of underwear!
3. Load up some playlists
Music is a powerful thing. Aside from its entertainment value, listening to music is known to have incredible positive effects to our brain. More specifically, music can change the way we act, feel and think.
Our brains trigger particular emotions, memories and thoughts, which often leads to more positive effects toward mental health. Potential effects can;
Elevate your mood and motivation
Reduce stress
Improve focus
Help relaxation
Reduce anxiety and depression
4. Change one thing
It’s that week of the year when we hear about resolutions ad nauseum. There is a real risk that setting too many goals will prove not only exhausting, but frustrating. Try going for just the one;
I am going to eat cereal when I get up instead of mainlining coffee and then jittering on an empty stomach until lunch.
I am going to stop aimlessly paging through Facebook in bed, and start actually reading this dusty novel on my bedside table.
5. Cut yourself some slack
Remember you are allowed to:
Make mistakes
Rest when required
Finish that leftover cheese
You have a whole year to get through. Pace yourself and remember it’s a marathon, not a sprint. Just. Slow. Down.
6. Reduce clutter
Clutter — both literal and psychological — can make it hard to think. Try these tips to de-clutter your world:
Close a few slack channels
Clean your desk
Do a brain dump into a notebook
Consider starting a bullet journal
Switch off social media notifications (a challenge, we know!)
8. Celebrate small wins
Setting small goals for the day and week will give you something to work towards. Meeting those goals gives you a boost to accomplish the next.
So, what are small wins?
Small wins are anything you accomplish that aligns with your intentions. They can be related to work, personal or professional relationships, habit changes, and/or finances. Small wins can be easy to gloss over, especially if you’ve been raised on a diet of self-criticism and perfectionism. Although we easily feel negative about failing, we almost never celebrate our successes, and this is where the magic lies.
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