Beating the back to work blues

Summer’s nearly over and the chances are you’ve got a dose of the back-to-work blues. You’re going to have to say goodbye to days spent in the fresh air, long lazy suppers with copious glasses of wine, and the freedom to take as much time as you like doing precisely nothing. It’s a bit of a wrench, isn’t it?

We’ve put together some hints and tips to help you get over the hurdle of returning to work. With any luck, you’ll soon be back into the rhythm of ordinary life and you can start planning your next holiday to look forward to!

Hints and tips to beat the back to work blues

• Can you work out exactly what it is about going back to work that makes you feel blue? If you can pinpoint the problem, you may be able to take steps to improve matters. If you hate the routine, for example, is there a way of mixing things up a little and doing things in a different way? In a similar vein, consider the things you love about your job, then ask your manager or boss if you can do more of them. If your boss is interested in the success of the company, and cares about you, they may well agree. If there is no room in your organisation for creative thinking and flexibility, you may want to consider moving on if you can.
• Get organised. The chances are you’re not going to get much work done on your first day back anyway, so spend some time clearing your workspace. If you’re able, transform it completely. Declutter, clean, scrap, organise! New start, new you! You’ll find it empowering, and if you buy yourself some new stationery or resources, you’ll actually look forward to getting back into it.
• Make a to-do list of all the things you would like to achieve this morning, today, this week, this month and before Christmas. Set targets and put everything in your diary.
• Visualise your ideal work-life balance and take steps to get it there. Prioritise your state of wellbeing because when you are happy and calm, you are more productive at work and more loving at home. Make achieving a good work-life balance a priority.
• Stop comparing yourself to others. A certain measure of ambition is a good thing of course, and you may well want to run your company, buy a second home in the tropics, and drive a jaguar. If that’s the case, go-for-it. The thing is, most of us will settle for a lot less as long as we have less stress and the time to enjoy life. What do you want to do well? What do you already excel at? What would you like to be better at? If you can identify these areas, work at those, to the exclusion of what everyone else is doing.
• Work less. A good work-life balance means being present in the lives of those closest to you, not just your colleagues or boss. Work smarter while you’re at work, do not opt for longer hours. Find clever solutions to problems, and stop trying to be a superhero at work. Your boss may well not notice, and most people aren’t rewarded for it unless they’re very fortunate.
• Deal with all situations as they arise. Don’t put things off. Think of a solution. Act on it. Move on. You can always come back to something later and fix it – or improve it - if need be.
• Millions of emails? Scan them. Locate the delete key. Go for it.
• Keep your ‘Out of Office’ on. That way people won’t chase you, allowing you time to get back into the rhythm of work, and catch up on what needs doing.
• Really dislike your job? Start making a plan to move on. If you need new skills, the Autumn is often a good time to find a course and upgrade your skills. Not sure where to go next? Look back at your career and consider when you were happiest and felt most energised. What was it you particularly liked about that job? Was it the skills you were using? The environment? Your colleagues? Where can you go that would fit those feelings? Do some research and make a plan.
• Find your motivation. You need reasons to work and be successful. If your heart is not in what you’re doing, time will drag and you’ll be miserable and your boss will notice. In a harsh world, your motivation may simply be that you need the money, but even if that’s the case, you need to put your heart and soul into what you’re doing and achieve, or move on.
• Take an extra day off. As daft as it sounds, taking an extra day off after your holiday may be the answer to your back-to-work blues. You’ll have a four-day week which will make it eminently more bearable, and everyone else will hopefully have settled straight back into work life, meaning there will be less stress and angst in the office, and you’ll find it easier to adapt.
• Keep a gratitude diary or jar. Write down two or three things a day that you are grateful for, either in your diary, or on little slips of paper and store them in a jar. It’s a simple way to count your blessings and focus on what is good in your life.
• Spend your lunch hour booking your next holiday. Well, you need to have something to look forward to!

Other articles

What to do when the spark is fading

Why do you feel butterflies at the start of a new romance, and how can you keep the flame burning in a long term relationship as the spark starts to fade?

How to know when to say no

It's often difficult to say no, but some people never do! So how do you know when to say no and when to say yes?

Hiding a depression: find out if someone you know - or you yourself! - is doing this

It's not always easy to tell if someone has depression. While some signs such as sadness, pessimism and withdrawal from social interaction are easy to recognise, other symptoms may be less obvious. And some people are very good at hiding their depression - even from themselves!

How to prove your value

Feel like everyone takes you for granted? Whether it's working late to prepare a presentation or cooking a special birthday meal for your partner, it's nice to be appreciated when you've made an extra effort. And if it seems as if people don't notice, you might feel as if no one values you.

12 easy ways to get people to like you

Have you ever noticed that some people are instantly likeable? Many people believe that people will only like you because of natural traits you're born with: good looks, talent and sociability. But this is a misconception. Getting people to like you is within your control, and it's all to do with self-belief, knowing yourself and being emotionally intelligent. Here's what to do to be more likeable.

Can you accept things you can't change? Take our quiz!

Your relationship ends, or you lose your job, and you get stuck in a rut of negative thoughts and suffering. How good are you at letting go of grudges and accepting that some things are beyond your control? Take our quiz to find out!

Why you're not the best

What are your aims in life? Do you plan to be rich, to be a top footballer, to be a good parent, or to become Prime Minister? However efficiently you plan your life, sooner or later you are going to come up against obstacles to achieving your goals.

Fact or fiction? Is it truly healthy?

There's so much contradictory health advice out there, it gets confusing. One year, butter is said to be bad for you, and margarine is better. The following year, it's the other way around. One article says running causes strain on your joints; another says it's good for you because it increases bone strength.

Are you stuck in a rut?

Sometimes it’s hard to notice when we've become trapped in familiar routines. Take our quiz to find out if you’re stuck in a rut and what you can do about it.

Simple tips to not be afraid of the future

No one knows what the future holds, so don't waste time and energy worrying about it. Read our tips and find out how to stop being afraid of what might never happen.