Going back to work after the summer vacations is always difficult. But what is even more complicated is the return to work in January after Christmas, with the new year starting, the freezing winter and the hectic pace of office life ahead. And here we are, after a few weeks of holiday parties and non-stop dinners, we are forced to leave the warmth of our home to return to the office: the mission seems impossible. How to survive?
Vacation nostalgia is a normal thing, but we need to react to this urge to procrastinate and plunge into inactivity: we need to be well prepared. The magic of Christmas doesn’t have to disappear right away, it can be prolonged until we find ourselves overwhelmed by emails and tasks to accomplish.
The first thing to do is to keep the energy, the Christmas spirit. You can talk about the vacations with colleagues, exchange recipes for smoked salmon or tell them about the board games you played with your family on Christmas Eve. Above all, you should keep some of the pleasures of the vacations, such as the new gifts, which you can put on your desk. We can also start the first day of work after the holidays by wearing a colorful sweater, a little funny, with a drawing of Santa Claus.
The new year is not only synonymous with returning to work and weekly stress, it also means new experiences and new goals to set. Keep the happiness and continue the good habits of the vacations: a cup of green tea twice a day or five minutes of meditation to relax, when you need it.
Above all, remember that Christmas is not the “most wonderful time of the year” for trees, snow and decorations, and the holidays don’t make us happy because we are lucky enough not to be working. What really makes us happy is the positive atmosphere, the reciprocity, the taste for sharing. So, facing back to school will be quite simple: just keep the friendly atmosphere of Christmas, even if Christmas is already over.
