Welcome Back! How to make the return to work more pleasurable and less stressful.

The first day back at work after the festive break always reminds me of that first day back at school, after the long summer holidays.

You know going back is inevitable, but you’ve just got into feeling fully relaxed. You’ve been sleeping better. You’ve even stopped thinking about work…. and have been wondering what it would be like if you didn’t have to return.

But now, here you are, back to the usual routine, which can feel good in that it provides structure to your day again, but less so, if you’ve found yourself diving headfirst back into a whirlpool of stress, drama and that colleague who drives you nuts.

So how can you ease back into work more easily?

1. Control what you can control.

If your working environment is tense because it’s high pressure, and deadline driven, your ability to handle a snide comment from a colleague or put down by your boss, can be a challenge.

Remember, if they’ve “spat the chewie,” it’s their problem. You don’t need to make it yours.

Rather than taking things personally and especially if you have no influence over a situation, ask yourself what will work best to keep your stress in check so you can continue to do your own work well.

It’s not about being best friends with everyone, but civility can go a long way to reducing workplace differences and ensuring you focusing on what is controllable rather than getting upset by what isn’t.

2. Recognise what pushes your buttons.

You may be an easy-going person, but even the most chilled of us have those little red buttons that when pressed can release a volcanic reaction that take everyone around you by surprise (including yourself).

By understanding what your triggers are, you can practice some strategies to help you keep your cool. Having several strategies also means if one doesn’t work you can quickly utilise the others.

You can challenge those triggers by asking yourself why does this upset me? What’s underlying this reaction, and what can I do to change it?

If there are certain people who irritate you by their presence or what they say or do, that’s not their fault. But allowing that irritation to fester and result in losing your temper or saying something you might regret later is unhelpful. The only person now looking stupid is you.

Secondly, seek to be generous, not critical. Be kind and get curious to their needs so it becomes easier to find a way to work amicably together.

3. Do those things that make you happy.

It’s hard to stay fazed or upset when you’re in a good mood. Ask yourself what makes a good day (at work) great for you and aim to include those activities as much as possible.

Ways to boost your mood include,

1. Being grateful for what you have and the good things that have happened. You can check in at the beginning or end of the day or reflect at the end of the week. With so much going on its easy to overlook the good things that have happened and celebrate them.
2. Saying thank you to others who have done you a good turn or helped out. Now you have two happy people. Starting that ripple can spread the contagion of happiness and appreciation.
3. Remembering that even on the darkest day, there is light somewhere.
4. Getting outside into a natural space. This can make the biggest difference in reducing those feelings of stress, anxiety or depression and help you to enjoy a greater level of mental well-being. If you’re feeling time-poor, even 4-5 minutes outside has been shown to calm the mind, reduce stress and enhance well-being. Where is your favourite outdoor space to chill and be still?
5. Spending time with those who lift your spirits. Who in your world makes you feel good every time you’re with them? How can you ensure you regularly spend time with those who make you laugh, that you feel relaxed with and who understand you as a person?
6. Getting into the groove with some uplifting music, dancing or going for a walk/run.

Stress is normal.
Too much chronic stress is what does us harm.

Smoothing out some of the bumps and troughs of our complex and complicated world can make focusing on what matters easier and enjoyable.

Going back to work this week I’ve chosen to focus on continuing to enjoy my early morning swims and walks, to keep my phone switched to silent when I need to concentrate, and to express gratitude for having a loving family and safe place to call home.

What have you done to ease yourself back into work?

I’d love to hear your thoughts.