How to Reduce Back-to-Work Stress
September is here, and that means the summer holidays are officially over. It also means it’s time to return to the grind. This can be an overwhelming thought—but it doesn’t have to be. With the right approach, you can ease yourself back into your usual routine with little or no stress.
Here are some tips to help you get started.
1. Ease back into it step-by-step.
Don’t try to go from 0 to 100 in a day. Take it step-by-step. Work your way back to your productive self if you’re out of practice. This applies to all areas of your life—be it at work or at home. Try to build up your busyness gradually and pick and choose what are the most important things to start with.
2. Make a realistic plan.
Start with small, easy tasks if you can, or simply prioritize the most urgent ones. Don’t try to do everything right away.
Instead, create an achievable to-do list with a mix of easy wins and a few more challenging tasks. If you make it easier for you to succeed, you’re less likely to get overwhelmed and much more likely to stay motivated.
3. Unitask.
Focus on one thing at a time. Your brain can only focus on one thing at a time effectively, so don’t be tempted by multitasking. It is the enemy of productivity, and the research is there to support it.
You’re 50 percent less likely to make errors when unitasking and on average you’re 50 percent quicker to accomplish a task. What’s not to like about that?
4. Celebrate every tiny step forward.
Keep yourself motivated by celebrating every tiny step forward and every tiny bit of success. That can be as simple as getting to work on time.
Replying to that admin email from HR. Having a proper lunch break. Writing the draft of a sales pitch. Leaving work on time. Any win counts and, best of all, you get to decide what counts as a win.
5. Take care of yourself.
Switching from holiday mode to usual work mode takes a lot out of you. Make time to fuel yourself—emotionally, mentally, and physically.
Don’t be surprised if you need a bit more fuel than usual. Listen to what your body and mind are telling you—and give them the replenishment they need.