Feeling Lazy After a Long Holiday?

After two long years of Movement Control Order (MCO), this will be the first time we are able to return to some normalcy and celebrate Hari Raya Aidilfitri the proper way. Malaysians are going all out on their Raya preparations to make up for lost time, from spending thousands of ringgits going on shopping sprees to gladly braving heavy traffic on a prolonged journey back to kampung.

Enjoy yourself but remember, once Raya is over it’s back to work! The problem with a long holiday is that your work productivity takes a hit. You were too busy relaxing, binging on Raya cuisines, oversleeping, and wishing it might last forever… but it doesn’t.

Thankfully, there are ways to make the adjustment back to work less difficult. To help you restore your productivity, check out these five tips.

#1 ‘You’ Time
After a long week of catching up with relatives, going from house to house, eating all the delicious Raya food and driving for hours in heavy traffic, you deserve to give yourself some wind-down time. Before you return to work after a break, you need some time to get back into your regular schedule.

You can use your wind-down time to do some chores around the house, unpack your travel belongings, and readjust to your routine. Remember to get adequate rest and sleep to improve your mental sharpness and mood, and mentally prepare yourself for work the next day.

#2 Plan your To-Do List
One of the reasons why we fear returning back to work is the many things you have to get done. It’s better to take things a little slower rather than rush through the tasks, making mistakes along the way. Plan a to-do list for your first week back at work. This can help you prioritise the things that need to be completed. You will gain a better feeling of direction, peace of mind, and clarity by planning out the work you must complete. You should also schedule time to manage your personal matters to avoid falling behind on tasks that will only stress you out.

#3 Remove the Difficult Tasks from the Equation
Focusing on getting the more difficult tasks out of the way first will allow you to devote more time to the things you enjoy. To segregate the tasks, rank them in order of importance and schedule specific time frames for execution. Start working through the tasks one by one. Once the difficult ones are dealt with, the rest will appear easier to accomplish.

#4 Eliminate Distractions
In order to get your tasks completed timely, you must first eliminate the distraction around you. Staying focused in a busy workplace can be difficult. You might think small distractions are harmless, but they can disrupt your productivity when accumulated. Keeping your workflow organised and free of distractions is always a smart idea because it helps you stay on top of things.

While you are at work, turn off your phone and let people know you will be busy for the next hour as constant notifications can be a huge distraction. Set limits with interrupting colleagues so they know when you need to focus on the task at hand. Working with others who are more productive will reduce your chances of getting interrupted unnecessarily.

#5 Catch Up with Your Colleagues
Exchange and share your Raya and holiday experiences with your colleagues. Light talks like these might help strengthen the friendship bond at work.

In terms of productivity, organise a meeting with your team to follow up on pending tasks. This will not only make you more productive, but it will also improve team cohesion and trust, as well as help you re-establish your work rhythm.