Welcome back from the Thanksgiving weekend and holiday week everyone! We are excited to be back and, with that being said, are assuming that many of us woke up with a bit of a grudge about getting back into a normal routine. Especially as the holiday season nears, it’s more likely than not that many of us will be taking PTO, going on vacation, and otherwise ‘unplugging’ from work for extended periods of time. How do you hop back into a routine amidst the madness? Find out below!

Let’s … Hop Back into Work Routines!

Set a Routine: The reason why many of us feel that we’ve fallen off track after long breaks is because we are situated outside of a regular routine, leaving ample time for a lot of blank space and downtime. For that reason, make sure to sit down on the Sunday prior to your return to work or school and set a weekly routine so as to implement specific time periods for catch-up and worktime. Routines and schedules are also a fantastic measure of holding yourself accountable for your responsibilities!
Early Wake-Ups: We know this isn’t ideal, and many of us dread that 7:00 AM wakeup call. However, in the week or so (usually a time period equivalent to your break) following Thanksgiving, Christmas, the Fourth of July, etc., it will prove immensely valuable to your schedule to take back an hour of the day that you may regularly use for sleep. You’ll be surprised at your body’s ability to work hard and function even on a lower quantity of sleep over temporary time periods; this could be an especially great resource for catching up.
Try Out a New Atmosphere: Just as it is easy to fall out of routine when you return home or to a place outside of your regular environment, it is just as easy to get all too comfortable in a place over time. Whether this be a coffee shop, your room, a specific library or classroom, or any study space that you’ve found, it’s almost subconscious that we start to become less focused and more comfortable in a repetitive space. For that reason, we encourage you to at least try out a new space one-time post-break and test your productivity. Sometimes all it takes is a new atmosphere to stimulate work and motivation!
Maintain Open Communication: With your teammates, management, and overall leadership. If you are behind on a due date, falling on a project timeline, or on track to deliver materials to someone else (that’s depending on you!) at a later date than anticipated, it’s crucial to confront those conversations ASAP. Setting expectations and an open line of communication is your key to success and being a valued, honest teammate.
Forgive Yourself: One last tip… always make sure to be easy on yourself after a break! There is no reason to ever regret the time you spent with loved ones or the extra sleep you caught upon. It was deserved and it was enjoyable! Allow yourself breaks and make sure to get enough sleep still so as to maintain productivity.

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