How to plan your first day back at work after your holiday
Many people take time off in summer. Even if you aren’t going away, lots of businesses and freelancers wind down as it’s quiet, or just to take advantage of the (hopefully!) good weather.
The problem with taking time off is that it can be hard to get the energy and enthusiasm to get started again once you return. In fact, opening up your laptop after a break can feel like a Monday morning on steroids!
So how can you make September less painful? My recommendation is to have a plan. By deciding in advance what you will do when you jump back into work, you don’t need to waste time thinking, and you can organise activities that will smooth your return.
Here’s how I plan my first day back to work, and what I recommend for you, too.
What to do on your first morning back at work
I like starting my working week by organising myself. This has two benefits:
- It doesn’t require any creative thinking
- It makes me feel better afterwards
So ease your rusty brain into your first morning back to work after a break by focusing on getting organised. This can include:
- Getting your invoices and bookkeeping up to date
- Going through your inbox and replying to and actioning emails
- Tidying your desk/office ready for work
- Checking your digital and paper filing is up to date
Trust me, you’ll feel really good when you’ve got everything tidy and organised, and it will make it easier for you when you start working. If you need help getting your finances in order, I recommending downloading our free profit and loss sheet.
To cheer myself up as I get into the swing of work I also start my morning with a mug of tea and play my favourite Spotify playlist.
What to do on your first afternoon back at work
Once you have got everything organised and tidy, the next thing to tackle is your to-do list.
What are the big projects or goals you want to complete over the next two weeks, and what tasks need to be tackled to achieve them? Write down everything you need and want to do, and identify when they need to be completed by. Then turn that into daily to-do lists.
I also recommend booking these tasks into your calendar or diary (I time-block using my Google Calendar). This helps you plan your days and ensures you actually get your tasks completed.
Then you can tackle any small tasks that need to be done that day, before closing your laptop and enjoying your well-earned evening.
Get my help to hit the ground running in September
If you’d like more help from me, check out our 12-month online business education and mentoring course Easy Business Club. Over a year, I will help you tackle all the important areas of a successful business or freelance career, including:
- Pricing
- Sales
- Marketing
- Psychology
- Branding
- SEO
- Planning
You also get monthly group mentor calls with me in which I will help you identify and solve any sticky problems holding you back, and encourage you to take bold steps forward to achieve the success you want.
The programme starts on 30 September, and you can join from the start of the month. In fact, you can add that to your to-do list for your first day back! If you think you’re a good fit and are ready to make big progress with my help, watch out for news when enrolment starts.
Author: Hannah Martin is the founder of Talented Ladies Club. She’s a highly experienced business mentor with a background as an award-winning copywriter and qualified psychotherapist.
