This week is the first full week back at work after the Christmas and New Year break for many of us. It is never easy getting back into the flow of things after a couple of weeks eating too much, more than likely drinking too much and one too many late nights and lazy mornings. So here are 6 ways to hopefully make the first week that little bit easier for anyone who struggles. Of course, there are people out there (Yes! There really are!) Who are able to have 2 weeks off and go back into working life like they never left with zero effort or struggle.

Tip 1 – Eat well, rest, RECOVER!

It is not uncommon to eat loads, drink loads, totally fall out of any routine over the Christmas and New Year break. The festive season is full of work Christmas parties, catching up with friends, checking in with family – there is always an occasion to eat, drink and be Merry and all this WILL catch up on us! So Tip 1 has to be – eat well, rest and RECOVER! You don’t have to change your whole diet, just introduce a few more healthy habits and healthier options, even simple things like drink more water! Also get back into a routine because one too many late nights does take its toll. When you’re back at work you will want to look and feel well rested - a good night’s sleep works miracles!

Tip 2 – Plan – Be Prepared!

Having a plan makes everything that little bit easier! We all know that well known Benjamin Franklin phrase ‘By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail’, and it is very true. One way to prepare could be to decide on your outfit for work the night before and have it ready  -  find something that works for you, something that makes your morning or day run more smoothly! Being prepared and having a plan makes such a big difference so it is well worth doing.

Tip 3 – Prioritise

Once you have made it in to work (with no stress or drama because you slept well and planned your morning!) the real challenge begins – working! It is never fun coming back to an inbox full of emails, or a desk covered in post or having tasks left over from 2019! The best way to tackle any work load is to prioritise. What are the most challenging or maybe even the most tedious tasks? Get on and complete those ones first – once they are done THEY ARE DONE! Cross them off the list and move on to the next task. Extra tip here too – create lists, you will be surprised how effective writing down (or typing) tasks actually is, then you get the satisfaction of crossing completed tasks off! You will be amazed how much you can get through in a day if you prioritise your tasks and manage your day a bit better.

Tip 4 – Out with the old!

Tidy desk – tidy mind! This is very accurate! Set 20 minutes aside (or an hour if your desk and drawers are a total mess!) and declutter. If you don’t need it or if it’s of no use to you then throw it away. Being surrounded by clutter is very distracting and it limits productivity – and who wants that? Plus it just looks very unappealing. Take pride in where you work, keep your desk / work station clean and tidy and watch the benefits of this quickly present themselves.

Tip 5 – It is all about balance!

You have been off for a couple of weeks so missed out on countless chats over a cup of coffee with your colleagues, but now you are back to the day job the pressure is on to work work work! Taking 5 minutes away from your desk to have a quick catch up with colleagues is needed sometimes. Try not to be too hard on yourself if you do find yourself drawn to the kitchen for a chin wag, or taking a little bit longer during a smoking break, look at it as a well earned mini break (only if you have worked hard enough to justify taking time out). As with most things it is all about balance, yes of course work hard but also make time to ‘play’, whether it’s a catch up over a hot drink, or during your lunch break or a drink down the local after work (for those of you not detoxing or taking part in Dry-January of course!) We all need ‘down time’! Work hard, play hard – just keep a healthy balance!

Tip 6 – Set goals – the learning never stops!

Setting a goal and working towards it forces us to focus and stay determined, which I am sure a lot of us could benefit from! We are lucky to live in a time where we have so many learning opportunities at our fingertips. Want to learn how to do something? YouTube will have it covered with an easy to follow video. Want to get another qualification? There are a number of online courses you could take (some free and some you need to pay for!) for all different subjects and for all different levels. EBooks Podcasts, videos, webinars, blogs – there is a platform for anything and everyone so there is no excuse for any of us to not broaden our horizons and keep learning, after all knowledge is power!  

Hoping everyone going back to work this week and back to normality doesn’t struggle too much! Calco are here for all your Construction, Engineering and Property Recruitment needs! If you are looking for a career change and keen to explore a career in Recruitment – we would love to hear from you.

You can contact us via 020 8655 1600 to find out more about the career opportunities we have available.