We’ve all experienced the post-Christmas dread of shuffling back to work after spending way too much time lounging around and sleeping in. Here are a few tips on how to ease the transition back to reality.
1. Prepare, or practice makes perfect
Set your alarm clock up to wake you up for your usual work routine a few days before you start working. This will help your inner clock get used to the fact that you have to wake up earlier.
2. Coffee, coffee, and coffee
Invest in a travel mug, if you don’t own one already. Getting your daily dose of caffeine will not only help your morning run smoother but might also be a blessing to those around you.
3. Are you in a bad mood, or are you just hungry?
We all are guilty of overeating during the holidays. Where you would usually eat three solid meals a day while working, being at home leaves us vulnerable to rampaging the snack drawer and indulging ourselves with snacks like chips, cookies, chocolates, and ice cream during the warm summer afternoons. Going back to work, our bodies don’t always understand that the ease of access to these delicious treats has stopped. This can cause employees to experience what most people call “hangry” episodes. Just like that familiar chocolate bar ad says, paraphrased, you’re not yourself when you are hungry.
4. Music makes everything better
Start your morning with upbeat and cheerful songs on your way to work. Research shows music can uplift the spirit and produce many of those happy hormones in our brains. This means waking up with a cheerful song playing can help boost your mood considerably.
5. A catchphrase that any South African knows
“Don’t be a d**s, be lekker.”
