Beat the back to work blues

It's September. Summer - and all the excitement it carried with it this year - is behind us, the kids are back to school, and that holiday is a distant memory. It's time to get back to work. How do you feel about that? Going back to work after a Summer break doesn't have to spell doom and gloom. Here's how to take a fresh look at going back to work.

Set Yourself A Challenge

If you're a goal-orientated person, why not set yourself a particular challenge to work towards? It could be specific to your work, or involve your career in a wider sense. Perhaps you could begin studying for a qualification which will enhance your career, or take on an aspect of work which will help you move up (or across) within your organisation.

Revisit Your Goals

Now is a great time to take a look at all the goals you've set yourself within this job, and within your career as a whole. Congratulate yourself for those which you have achieved, and take a look at the ones which are still on the to-do list. Are any now redundant? It's OK to remove them, and replace them with new goals which reflect your ambitions. Choose one or two and make them your priority this year.

Enjoy The Routine

What some people call boring, others call routine! And routine doesn't have to be a negative thing. After a Summer of juggling kids, holidays, housework, relatives and hobbies, enjoy your work routine if you can. After all, it's time which enables you to focus back on yourself and show your talents off at their best.

Shedule In Some Down-Time

It's OK to look forward to the weekends! Amongst the hustle and bustle of those first few weeks back at work, try to plan in some leisure-time you can look forward to. With Migraine Awareness Week on 2nd-8th September, it's a good time to be on the look-out for signs of stress, exhaustion and overload. Work hard at work, but relax and switch-off when you're off-duty.

Connect With Your "Yhy"

Whether you see your job as a career, a vocation, a dream or a step on the ladder, there must be a reason why you first applied for this job. Remember how you felt before the interview? And how you felt when the job was yours? Recall that "why" and reconnect with the drivers which attracted you to your career.

Feel The Accomplishment

Finally, give yourself a pat on the back for all the fantastic things you've achieved at work: big or small! You make a difference, and what you do really matters. Give yourself credit for everything you do. We hope these ideas make your transition back into work a little easier. Before you know it, it will be time to tackle the festive season, but that's for another article...!