Bouncing Back After a Long Weekend

Ahhhhhh… The bliss of a long weekend. Maybe you spent it with family and friends, or you took a couple extra days off for much-needed “you time” (good for you!). Either way, nothing contrasts with the elation of those precious days off more than the dreaded first day back. It’s tough to get back at it after a few days of R&R, but remember that this is a great time to stand out for having initiative and self-motivation at work. Buckle up and follow these tips for bouncing back after a long weekend, so you are ready to return and absolutely crush it at work! 

Regroup

Take some time at the beginning of your first day back to regroup. You can’t successfully dive back in until you get back into a productive headspace. Jumpstart your day with a quick meditation session. Never tried it before? Don’t worry; there are great resources for novices to get into the practice of meditating. Not into meditation? Just give yourself a minute to settle into your work space before doing any heavy lifting. 

Refresh

Give yourself a refresh on where you left off by reading the last emails you sent before the break, looking at last week’s schedule to remember what you were doing, and going through your calendar to anticipate the week ahead. How will you know where to start if you can’t remember where you stopped?

Declutter

Nothing is worse than coming back to a computer littered with open, unfinished documents, a cluttered desktop, and a hundred open tabs on your browser. Clear your head by cleaning your work space. Cleaning your computer of last week’s work has a way of jogging your memory. Taking the time to close out those tabs and finalize some docs may help you get back to where you left off.

Organize

Start that To-Do list early in the day. Once you catch yourself up, start writing things down. Ask yourself:

• “Are there any calls or emails I need to respond to?”
• “Who are the clients I need to follow up with?”
• “What projects was I working on last week?”
• “Where did I leave them off?”
• “What do I need to do next to move them forward?”
• “What’s on my schedule/who am I meeting with this week?”

Making a To-Do list is a good warm-up for actual work: you get your juices flowing and you complete a simple task so that you’re ready to take on larger projects. Also, writing everything down can be a great way to pump yourself up for the work ahead. Once you know the game plan, you’re ready to put your nose to the grindstone! 

Focus

Whatever it is you do to get in the zone, there’s no better day than one after a long weekend to whip those tricks out. Like listening to music at work? Find a playlist of instrumental music you’ve never heard before to reduce mental distractions. Is your work redundant by nature? Try light snacking (like popcorn) to keep your mind awake and your brain focused. Plug in your noise-canceling headphones, put in a stick of gum, or WHATEVER it is that helps you hone it in and get things done! No matter what your techniques for productivity are, remember not to burn yourself out right away. Take the time to walk away from your computer and reset periodically throughout the day. 

Crush it!

Now you’re ready to hit the ground running and show off just how great of a worker you are! Get out there and #WinAtWork!

Are you ready to take your organization to the next level? Conversion-omics Speakers & Consultants can help you define, develop, and drive solutions for your organization. Contact us or email us at more@conversion-omics.com to get started today.