Tips to Help You Regain Your Focus After the Holidays

With the holiday season coming to an end, reality is setting back in. It is no longer acceptable to eat and drink whatever you want, our bank accounts are lower than usual and everyone is heading back to work. Getting back into the work and life routine is not easy. It can be hard to get focused and switch your mindset from holiday mode to work mode.

I have created a list of tricks to help you get focused the first day back at work. These tips can be used whenever you need to redirect your attention to work or personal life, and not necessarily just after the holidays! Here is what I do when I cannot focus, or feel overwhelmed at work.

 

  1. Lists! Lists! Lists!

I am at times, a LIST QUEEN. Lists are great for any day of the week, but especially helpful on a Monday returning from the holidays. You may find that when you arrive at work you have a million things to do. Here’s my tip to you; Take a deep breath and write it all down. Write a list of everything you have to accomplish that day. As a recruiter I am constantly writing lists of what I have to do, who is available to work, what my clients need and more! Lists will help you visualize what it is you really need to do, rather than having a bunch of thoughts floating around in your mind. One thing I do too, is when I’m feeling overwhelmed I take the easiest tasks on my list and complete them. It really makes you feel like you have accomplished something, and it feels good to stroke them off the list!

  1. Prioritize

After you have created your “To Do List”, prioritize it!! Here in the office we typically like to colour coordinate. Green highlight means it must be finished immediately! Yellow highlight means it is important but not urgent. And Red means it has to be done but could wait to be done last. This really puts into perspective your work load and allows for you to manage your time better.

  1. Declutter

I find if my work space is clean my mind feels clearer. If you have the opportunity to tidy before you go on holidays, it is good to be proactive. It will make coming back to your workspace that much easier. Tidying your workspace can make a world of a difference. If your feeling overwhelmed, cleaning allows for you to take a break from work and still be productive, allowing you to clear your mind and your workspace.

  1. Eat Healthy

A lot of us are guilty of indulging a little TOO much over the holidays. When it is time to come back to work on Monday and you still have turkey brain, staying focused and staying awake can be challenging. As much as it is ok to indulge, ensure when you are back in the workplace you are consuming healthy foods. Fruits, vegetables and good proteins will you to get your body back in balance after weeks of alcohol, carbs and sweets! (Three of my favourite things). It is also important to stay hydrated! Water is very important and will help you stay focused at work, and overall make your body feel better. Dare I say it but to add to healthy eating, working out will also help you get back in the rhythm of your personal or work life.

We all get distracted at time, you are not alone! If you have had a few weeks off of work due to the holidays it can be even more challenging to be motivated and focused your first day back. Hopefully these tips can help you. If you have any questions of the above content or would like to share your own tips that help you regain focus, send me an email at danielle@careercontacts.ca, thanks for reading!