HOW TO GET BACK
INTO WORK MODE
BLOG
I really wanted to talk about the joy to be found in easing yourself back into work after a break. The irony of uploading this blog on January 7th when most people have been back in the office for several days, if not more, isn’t lost on me.
Clearly, I’m very good at easing myself back into work.
As a freelancer, it helps when you don’t strictly speaking have an office to get to (or only have to walk down the hall to get to it) and no looming deadlines just yet. As the year ticks on, the work will be coming so I decided to use this time a little differently.
On freezing cold mornings, the lure of a cosy duvet and a cup of tea in bed is a tough one to resist. But now’s the time to build routine again and get yourself ready for the inevitable onslaught of work that’s likely to come your way – and these tips just might help.
WAKE UP AND DO THINGS
Yes, it’s time to start waking up at socially acceptable hours again – although I know freelancers can sometimes do things a little differently – there’s a lot to be said for getting up when you don’t necessarily have to.
Get up, get dressed, have breakfast and remember how it feels so sit in your workspace again. Use this time to update your website, get your admin up to date, do an online class. Find the things that future you will be thrilled you sorted out, so you don’t have to worry about it when the work does pile in.
Remember to leave the house! Easy to forget if you don’t have a pet that relies on you to nourish it with food and fresh air, but it doesn’t have to be walking miles through muddy fields – a walk to the corner shop to stock up on chocolate still counts.
Much has been said on the benefits of a simple ten-minute walk outside to get the blood flowing and all around help you feel like a functioning human being. Do it and surprise yourself with the clarity you return to your workspace with.
DON'T BE TOO HARD ON YOURSELF
I’m a big believer in setting goals, targets and celebrating yourself but if you sit down on the first day back and set wildly unattainable aims then you’ve set yourself up for a fall. It’s easy to panic when you come back from a break and find 300 emails all demanding your attention.
Try a more methodical approach by planning your time, writing things down and spreading them out so not everything has to be achieved in the first week.
Take a deep breath, work through it at your own pace and avoid needless stress, otherwise the whole point of taking a break becomes undone within ten minutes of logging on.
So, if one of your goals is finding the right words for your website, blogs, branding etc then get in touch.
