Many of us in India have got back to work today after almost a five-day Diwali break. Diwali is essentially an annual festival where people binge on sweetmeats, burst firecrackers, conduct pujas, meet friends and family over lavish meals, and generally have a good time.
And then one fine day, on a Monday morning (as has happened this year), the festivities come to an end. We’re back to reality — on a desk and chair — trying so hard to focus on work, but somehow not managing to do so.
While I’m currently a freelancer, and not bound by fixed hours, I know exactly what the feeling is like from the 10 years that I was in the workforce. Coming back to work, after a long break, can take a lot of warming up before you are in the groove again…or in a ‘state of flow’, as creatives would like to put it.
Because, however mundane our routines may be on regular days, there is something of order in them that actually aids productivity. We create and maintain a certain rhythm, we have a schedule of sorts telling us how long we can take on each task, and then move on to the next.
But when on holiday, schedules are on the back-burner…and rightfully so— it’s our time to enjoy and chill, and not look at the clock! What’s difficult though, after a long break in routine, is getting back into the rhythm…of finding that state of optimal productivity, and getting rid of the holiday hangover.
Here are some ways of getting into the flow state at work post a long break…
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**Take your time to warm up**The idea is not to do the most challenging tasks in the first part of the day… Because chances are you’re still not in the flow of work by then. It’s normal for many of us to take some time to warm up before before we can go headlong into work. Thus keep most of your thinking/brainstorming tasks either for the next morning, or later in the day, when you’ve had enough time to build your concentration and focus.
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**Avoid talking about the holidays**It’s normal for colleagues to come to your desk and share with you what they’ve done over the holidays… But don’t get distracted yet! Listen to them patiently for a few minutes, and then politely tell them how you can talk more about it in the lunch or coffee break… Basically, ensure you minimize distractions, and stay on top of your agenda for the day. You may not meet all your targets, but you definitely don’t want to waste the whole day either.
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**Encourage group discussions on such days**As your work colleagues are already social and conversational on such days, it may be a good idea to set up meetings for brainstorming. Everyone can bring that same festive cheer to the table, and use that social energy to think up new ideas together.People have been home with friends and family, and to avoid making them feel homesick the next day, team-building exercises work well on such days… It keeps them connected to people, and takes the work forward too.
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**Consciously focus on calming down**Holidays are generally a time of euphoria, moods are elated and celebration is on top of the mind… Energies may also be exhausted as a result of the excessive socializing. This means that you need to reconnect with yourself, and regroup your energies, to focus on the working week ahead. In order to do so, calm yourself down with some workplace meditation… Try breathing exercises at your desk, or simply sit still with your eyes shut for a few moments…and bring yourself to a state of calm.
Monday mornings may never be optimally productive, but they can definitely be purposefully spent, achieving some of your goals, if not all.
So, don’t let the holiday gone by dampen your spirits at work…instead, use your charged energy to bring new energy into your work!
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