Welcome back, everyone! Many of us experienced a break from our regular Mondays yesterday in the form of observing Martin Luther King Jr. Day – we hope you were able to observe and reflect on the holiday, its lessons, and its impact on your daily life. Were you able to give back to the community yesterday as a recognized ‘service day’? If yes, that’s great! If not, that’s okay too! There are many ways to participate in charity, and many were eloquently outlined by theSkimm: see here.

Sneak peek: “If you’ve got time…A little goes a long way. In under an hour, you could assist people who have visual impairments with everyday tasks (think: reading a product label or picking out clothes) through the Be My Eyes app. Or you could write thoughtful letters to residents of assisted living facilities and care homes via Letters Against Isolation. If you have a bit more time, consider organizing an equity challenge for your company or team, preparing and serving meals at your local soup kitchen, pitching in at one of the country’s national parks or monuments, or helping kids and teens with schoolwork and college readiness workshops via Girls Inc. For more volunteer opportunities in your area, search here.” – Thank you to theSkimm for their resources!

Now that we’re back to Monday and jumping into a shortened work week, and potentially condensed timelines to our submissions and due dates, we’re here to get you back on track. Keep reading below to find out how we catch up after a holiday weekend!

Let’s…Jump Back into Work!

Hydrate: One of the best ways to stay awake and help your body get back into the swing of a healthy week is to keep yourself hydrated. Keep a water bottle by your desk and try to drink the entire thing multiple times throughout the day; and if you’re worried about forgetting, set reminders on your calendar or mobile phone to do so! There are also a variety of water bottles available everywhere that track time stamps on the side to remind you to keep up through the day.
- Extra Tip: In order to encourage yourself, try forcing yourself to finish a glass of water prior to a morning juice, matcha, or caffeine! That way, your drink of choice will serve as a reward instead of as a starting point for your day.
Nutrients! As enticing as it may feel to snack on chips, morning sweets, or any junk food, try to jump-start your week with nutrients instead. Starting off the week with healthy meals will rejuvenate your body and ensure that you are feeling energized and prepared for all obligations. On the same note, we also offer you the tip to bring workout clothes to work, as it may be your key to stepping back into the gym (and will also save the time of having to stop back home).
Stay Organized: Making a to-do list, filling out a daily planner or calendar, or even using a sticky note and writing down what you need to complete is proven to help individuals accomplish their daily tasks and goals. This will also keep you organized and decrease your chance of forgetting a meeting or assignment. Make sure to check out the multiple articles we’ve written in the past to learn about certain scheduling strategies that could assist your organization… we recommend starting with ‘time-blocking’!
Check-In: With your inbox! Try out a “priority” folder to move all of your most important emails from the weekend into a different space, as we all know how crowded an inbox may be when we take a momentary break. And make sure to keep your team in the know about where your projects or outstanding requests are on their way to completion – while you’re not expected to finish all of your obligations momentarily, you are expected to inform those that rely on your work when they can expect it!
Let Yourself Breathe: Finally,… schedule breaks into your day as you would any other obligation! Letting yourself have time to relax is equally as important as completing your work to your mental clarity and ability to maintain motivation.

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