If your holiday has been a good one, you’ll be returning home with a refreshed attitude vowing never to let things get on top of you again. You'll be feeling fit from all the strolling on the beach and swimming and water sports and you'll be feeling healthy and recharged. Hopefully....
So, now is the time to seize the good feelings and make them last. Here are some tips to help you achieve that goal and maintain your post-holiday optimism.
1. If you want your results at work to be different, make sure you know what you’re going to do differently. If you simply fall back into old habits and behaviour patterns, you’ll end up with the same frustrations you were experiencing before you left so decide what new practical actions you are going to implement and put them into place right away. If you’re going to delegate more, what’s the first thing you’ll delegate? If you’re going to work shorter hours, what do you need to do to make sure this happens?
2. Learn the lessons of the holiday. Holidays are about individuals operating in ways that suit them best so observe how you enjoyed spending your days while you were away. Think about how much sleep you got, what time of the day you got up, what time your preferred bedtime was and what thoughts and ambitions came to your mind when you had some mental capacity to spare. You can’t live your life on holiday but if you can draw some of the positive influences from your holiday into your working routine, you’re less likely to feel compromised by life in the office.
3. Recognise why the holiday has had such a great impact on you and remember it. If you really understand the value of this time off as part of your overall performance strategy you’ll be much more likely to make time for them in the future and to make sure that you make the most of each opportunity to take a break and come back stronger and more efficient. All work and no play......