Summer’s bloom wilts on the branch-like weeks of our calendar. In the next breath, the season of respite will drift away and wither in the breeze of time. With heavy sighs, we face the next pages of our year. School and work routines loom before us. The angry, red eyes of our bedside clocks refuse us another morning to doze late. Yet, inertia runs like lead through our limbs and seeps through the bottom of our soles to nail invisible cleats into our path. A break’s end proves a formidable threshold to cross.
Human nature tends to despise these transitions. Change defies our preference for stability. Although our druthers would have us wrapped forever in the fleece of our comforts, the stagnance would suffocate our growth. We need the shift from routine to respite. Fruitful life also demands we return to work after a break.
Despite the challenge of returning to a schedule, this change of seasons offers an opportunity to restart. With a revitalized mindset, we could optimize our approach to school or work. Renewed souls can bring fresh energy to the world around them. But we must gird our thoughts with positive focus and press through the inertia threshold first.
Today’s post lists a few tips to help get through the seasonal shift.
- Leave a day between vacation and the return to work, if possible.
- Begin waking earlier in stages. Reward yourself for the effort.
- Note at least five ways to improve your performance or attitude BEFORE you return. Consider how you interact with others, efficiency techniques, and maintaining positive thought patterns.
- Spruce up your work space. Clean and tidy areas can improve your health and mindset.
- Add inspirational quotes or photos to your area.
- Plan to attend a skill-building or networking event.
- Challenge yourself to meet rewarding goals, personal and work-related.
- Plan to celebrate acheivement of the goals you’ve set.
- Look for blessings and keep a gratitude journal.
- Seek every opportunity to be a blessing to others (while maintaining healthy boundaries, of course).
- Bring in small tokens of appreciation to coworkers and friends after you return from your break. Candy, photos with personalized notes, or seashells, e.g. cost very little, yet provide a great morale boost for your return (both for you and for your friends).
- Add some comfort to your first days back in the saddle. Give yourself something fun to anticipate (favorite latte, sandwich, new outfit, fresh planner or other office supplies, e.g.).
- Schedule an event you’ll look forward to, and make sure it’ll occur within the next few weeks.
What are your favorite tips for restarting? Share them with us. I look forward to reading your comments.
Be Encouraged,
Tina