Does it feel heavy to get started after the holidays? Why not get a soft start and bring your summer feeling back to work? Take a long lunch, allow yourself to quit earlier, be sure to enjoy the company of your colleagues again. To shorten the first working week by starting on a Wednesday or Thursday gives a smoother return to everyday life. Or why not take an extra day off every week the month after the holidays? Then summer vacation feels extra long and luxurious.
Autumn is also your chance to a new start. Think about how it feels to get back to work and if there is anything you want to change? Is this the fall when you get a really good work-life balance? Learn from your past mistakes and try to get into a more sustainable life with a balance between rest and necessities. Write down your goals - and your sub goals. What do you want to achieve this fall? How can you get there, step by step?
There will always be things that are important, more important and most important. Do a well-planned priority list after your holiday to avoid feeling that you have to do everything at once. Set up personal goals "Today I'm going to do bullet 1 and 2, If I get to bullet 3, it's just fine." But do not pull yourself down and try doing 10 bullet points at a time. Writing down your goals and bullet points is also a great way to get an overview of what is needed, regardless of what you are working with. It's good to see what actually needs to be done.
Creating space in your calendar allows you to get the necessary time for relaxation, exercise and reflection. Something most people feel good when doing. Relaxing and getting a performance break is more important than you think. You are guaranteed multitasking by sms, mail and Linkedin without even thinking about it. You probably do not pause for reflection when standing in the queue at the supermarket, or when you have five minutes for yourself. Instead, you pick up your phone.
Never allowing the mind to relax and reflect means that we gradually lose the ability to control our own attention. The brain simply gets too much information.
According to Leadership Coach Catharina Sjögren, it's really quite easy to train your presence and focus. It can be as easy as taking a performance break and breathe for 60 seconds.I usually challenge clients to sit down and not do anything when they have a small break. Just to let your thoughts be. Or count from ten to zero so that the brain focuses on doing "nothing". After two weeks, many realize what a great tool it is and what difference it makes. You train yourself to control your own mental focus.
So a good motto this fall for your well-being is to create a well planned calendar that facilitates good routines for sleep, recovery, food and exercise.
If you want to read more about how to maintain your well-being in the office, please go here!
Sources for the article:
http://www.tidningenhalsa.se/artiklar/artiklar/20180807/sa-klarar-du-jobbstarten/
https://www.hager.se/magasin/hantera-din-tid-effektivt-del-1/17049