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8 tips for going back to work after the holidays

Getting back to work after a long and relaxing holiday can be quite hard. Here is some advice to make things easier.
1. Build in some transition time
If possible, do not schedule a lot of meetings during your first days back. You need a little time to prepare and get ready, go through your emails and find your focus.
2. Make a list
Create a list of items that must get done on your first days back. When you’re struggling to focus and don’t know where to even start, this is a great way to stay on track and accomplish the bare minimum. And try prioritizing your tasks.
3. Keep the holiday feeling alive
Perhaps take a walk (or ski!) in a nearby park during lunch or schedule a lunch at a cozy place together with your co-workers. Or meet a friend for a cup of tea or go to the cinema after work.
4. Listen to music
It can help you fight the sluggishness you’ll feel on your first day back to work. Listen to music that keeps you from falling asleep at your desk but also helps you concentrate enough to be able to do your work. Music has also been found to reduce anxiety and stress, instill comfort and to strengthen our reception of positive emotions.

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5. Sub targets
It may feel like forever until your next holiday but try to divide the year into different parts. A sub target can be the Easter holiday or just the upcoming weekend.
6. Find your purpose
We need to feel motivated and that we have a purpose at our jobs. Try to formulate your purpose. Research indicates that having a purpose in life is good for mental health. For example, it was associated with lower levels of depression and anxiety.
7. Sleep, sleep, sleep!
A good night’s sleep helps you stay healthy and alert. Try to go to bed the same time every evening in order to create a routine and figure out how many hours of sleep that is beneficial for you. Most of us need 7-9 hours each night. Also during sleep, the brain’s own cleaning system, the glymphatic system, gets rid of harmful products, thereby protecting the brain from disease.
8. Just do it
Just like going to the gym – just do it!
Sources: Forbes, The Muse, Business Insider, NIH, Nordic Life Science
Updated: January 15, 2025, 07:47 am
Published: January 9, 2025
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