You’re back at work after a two-week break. Your boss expects you to be fully rested and raring to go. Instead, you’re exhausted and empty. Sound familiar? Far too many people will return to work after the summer unfit for work. There are many reasons why.
Perhaps you’re at a life stage when going on holiday just means looking after the kids or perhaps an elderly relative in a different location. This can be more stressful and expensive than being at home because you have to work harder in an unfamiliar setting. Perhaps you are of an age where holiday equals party, party, party – hardly restful. Maybe time away from work is filled with a major project: a stressful house move or renovation. Worst of all is when people fill their holiday time with mundane ‘stuff’: chores, DIY, paperwork; for most of us, none of these refreshes.
It’s hardly surprising that the thought of taking up where you left off at work on already depleted energy levels can leave you feeling cross, angry or depressed. Especially if you are going back to a job you hate. So, what do you need to do to recharge now you are back at work? Here are 5 suggestions.
Benefitting from a quick fix. Both physical and mental well-being are often linked to one thing: getting enough sleep. Sleep is vitally important for your emotional and physical well-being. Ask yourself, what do I need to do to improve the amount or quality of my sleep on a regular basis? Even if your holiday hasn’t been restful, you can ‘treat’ yourself to some early nights and weekend lie-ins. Go on, you deserve it!
Seeing the big picture. To increase energy levels requires taking a birds’ eye view of your life as a whole. What aspects of your day-to-day activities are draining or boosting your energy? What do you need to alter? To cut out? To do more of? Sometimes you can tinker around the edges, other times it requires drastic change.
Filling your bucket. Author Rick Warren talks about energy levels being like water in a bucket.
When your bucket is full and you are energised, you are creative, perform well and feel happy.
When your bucket is empty, you are tired, irritable and prone to making mistakes. No one else will fill your bucket for you; you are responsible for filling it and maintaining the energy levels needed. No matter what season of life you are in, there will always be activities, people or scenarios that either energise or drain you. So ask yourself:
- How full is your bucket at the moment?
- What fills your bucket, i.e. what energises you?
- What drains you?
- What do you need to start doing or stop doing to ensure your bucket stays full?
Start moving for just 10 minutes a day. We know we need exercise, but not many people do it. After work, the pull of wine and snacks with Netflix can be far more appealing than an exercise class.
However, according to A Systematic Review of the Relationship Between Physical Activity and Happiness, as little as 10 minutes of physical activity per week or one day of exercise per week is likely to increase happiness levels. And it doesn’t have to be a run or on a spin bike. The randomised controlled trials suggested that aerobic and stretching/balancing exercise effectively improved happiness.
Regarding good moods and physical activity, people who work out even once a week or for as little as 10 minutes a day or one day a week tend to be more cheerful than those who never exercise.
Change Jobs. People go back to work after a break not feeling rested because they cannot switch off and still feel anxious and stressed about work. You don’t know what is possible until you start looking. A way to do this is on LinkedIn. You can tick the open to recruiters box to let recruiters know you want to hear from them privately. See this article on LinkedIn: Now You Can Privately Signal to Recruiters You’re Open to New Job Opportunities.
LinkedIn hides the Open Candidates signal from recruiters at your company or affiliated company recruiters, so you don’t have to worry about your boss finding out.
Don’t spend your life feeling tired and irritable. Take action today to ensure you have the energy levels you need. If you’re unsure where to start, speak to an accredited coach who can help you balance work, rest, and play.
Oh…and don’t forget to book your next (relaxing) holiday! It’s always great to have something to look forward to.
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Articles by Jenny Butter
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