After the holidays: How to get the new working year off to a good start
Christmas and the turn of the year: in some jobs, this is a time of standstill and many people have time off. But it's not always easy to pick yourself up again afterwards. What can help?
Feasting, unwrapping presents, receiving visitors or traveling: The days around Christmas are different than usual. Many working people have time off and spend a lot of time with family or friends. Things often become quieter between the years and everything seems to turn a little slower than usual.
This can be relaxing. However, when it's time to get back to work, motivation and willingness to perform often plummet. This is not unusual. Experts refer to it as post-holiday syndrome, which affects many working people, especially after the holidays around the turn of the year. So the question arises: how do you get back to work after all this?
"It's best to formulate your own goals early on that you want to tackle at work in the new year," advises Ute Gietzen-Wieland. She is a business and mental coach in Bielefeld. Such planning has been proven to have positive effects on the brain and can ensure that you start the first working days of the new year with motivation.
And that also means taking time to reflect on what went well and what went less well professionally in the year that is coming to an end. "Ideally, you should also keep some kind of record of this or even keep a diary," says Munich-based psychologist and career consultant Madeleine Leitner.
Sort out your emotions
If the situation is not really clear to you, you can use the days off without the hustle and bustle of everyday life to listen to yourself and find out what your emotions are actually like in relation to your job: Am I satisfied? Or do I perhaps feel anger, disappointment or exhaustion?
If you notice that you have negative feelings about your job, it is important to find out where they are coming from. Is it an ongoing issue? Difficult tasks, for example. Or is it due to a specific situation in the past? For example: I didn't get the promotion I was promised.
"The better you recognize the causes of your own dissatisfaction, the better you can find a solution," explains Leitner. In practice, this means, for example: Addressing the issue of promotion or a veto right for unrealistic targets again specifically in the new year - and demanding a binding solution.
But be careful: when taking stock, don't just look at what didn't work out. "It's much more important to also look at what went well," emphasizes Gietzen-Wieland. The professional successes from the year that is coming to an end could also be a motivational booster for the new year - by building on these successes and continuing to pursue your own goals step by step.
Concretize New Year's resolutions
Quite a few people also make New Year's resolutions. According to a survey by the market research institute Trendence, more than one in three employees (36%) have resolutions for 2024 that revolve around their job and career. For more than one in ten employees (12%), the most important resolution for the coming year even has to do with their job.
As a general rule, however, professional New Year's resolutions should not be too general. "The more specific and realistic a resolution is, the more likely it is to be achievable," advises Gietzen-Wieland. So if you want to make a resolution for the new year, it's best to ask yourself: what exactly do I dislike, can I change something about it - and what are my needs anyway?
The resolution does not necessarily have to be aimed at climbing further up the career ladder next year. For example, you can also resolve to work less overtime. Or to cultivate professional networks more than before in order to have more stimulating exchanges with others, perhaps to give each other valuable tips.
Start slowly
However, you don't have to overdo it in the first few days at work: experts generally advise a rather gentle return to work after a vacation. The New Quality of Work Initiative (INQA), for example, recommends keeping the first day at work as free as possible - this allows you to plan for the coming days and deal with any emails without stress.
A tip: Leave the out-of-office message in your email inbox for an extra day or two in consultation with your superiors. This way, you won't be bombarded with calls or emails immediately after the vacations or vacation.
Read also:
- This will change in December
- Fireworks and parties ring in 2024 - turn of the year overshadowed by conflicts
- Attacks on ships in the Red Sea: shipping companies avoid important trade route
- Houthi rebels want to launch further attacks despite international coalition
After returning from vacations, an employee might feel stressed due to the responsibilities of their Home office. Seeking advice from an Advisor, such as Ute Gietzen-Wieland or Madeleine Leitner, can help manage these feelings and provide strategies for coping. For instance, the Advisor may suggest setting clear goals for the new working year to boost motivation or taking time to reflect on professional achievements and challenges of the previous year.
Employers can also assist their employees by offering a gradual return to work after vacations. This approach allows employees to adjust to their responsibilities at a slower pace, which can help reduce stress and improve productivity. Moreover, Employers can encourage open communication among their team members, allowing them to share concerns and tips, fostering a more supportive work environment.
No matter how long the vacation, it's essential for employees to take care of their mental health during the transition back to work. Practicing relaxation techniques, such as meditation, deep breathing exercises, or yoga, can help maintain a sense of calm and reduce stress. Additionally, engaging in physical activities like going for a walk or running, can improve overall well-being and help rejuvenate the mind.
Source: www.ntv.de
