Starting back to work after you’ve had a holiday can be incredibly difficult. Even if you love your job, it can still be hard to muster up the energy and excitement to get back to it. Especially if you’ve had a really relaxing holiday. So I’ve put together a little list of things I do to motivate me on that first day back. Hopefully one or more of these will help you too:

• Plan what you’re going to do before you start back – In an ideal world, on your last day before your holiday you’d plan what you were going to do when you come back whilst it’s still fresh in your mind. Write all that down on your to-do list/calendar/diary whatever it is that you use to plan out your days. This will stop that confusing start to the day where you’re trying to figure out what on earth you were doing and where you are with it. If it’s too late to do that now, then your first task on your first day back (or even before you officially start again), will be to map out what you need to get done and when. It will make the day so much easier for you.

• Take it easy on the first day – Don’t be too hard on yourself if you’re not working as fast or efficiently as you normally would on your first day back. Your mind and body are probably still slightly in holiday mode and will take a while to get going again so don’t be surprised if tasks that you would normally get done in 5 minutes take you half an hour. This is why you need to do the next bullet point too.

• Set realistic expectations – You’re not going to be able to come back at full speed so set realistic expectations of what you’re going to get done today. If you can successfully tick off some small things on your list that is going to feel so much better than struggling through a large task and not completing it. It also gives you a much gentler start back into work than trying to get into a big challenge straight away.

• Take a couple more breaks than you usually would – If you’d normally plough through the day with minimal breaks that is going to feel very difficult on the first day back. So don’t feel guilty for taking a couple more breaks than you usually would. Or you could take a longer lunch than normal to give yourself chance to regroup and face the remainder of the day. Just make sure you completely switch off during these breaks or there’s no point in you taking them!

• Pick something fun to do to look forward to – This is my favourite motivational tool that I use. If I’m struggling with a task that I don’t particularly enjoy doing, I give myself a treat for getting through it. This could just be making a hot chocolate or 30 minutes of mind-numbing scrolling on social media, whatever it is it gives me something to aim for to get the task done. So, if you’re finding that first day back hard, what little treat could you give yourself for making it through?

• Find the joy – This is another one of my favourites, particularly when I’ve just come off a holiday and I don’t want it to end. Before I start back to work, I remind myself of what it is that I love about my job. I love my clients, I love bookkeeping and I love working for myself and not having a boss. Reminding myself of this before I start can really help me get out of bed in the morning. What do you love about your job? Where’s your joy?

• Count the money – If all else fails and you have no motivation to get started again, count the money. By that I mean what are you going to make for working that day? How many sales can you make? What can you use that money to buy? Planning out your purchases can really help you to want to start earning the money again to be able to afford them. And obviously you can’t earn the money without going back to work!

Hopefully one or more of these tips will help you to start back after a holiday. Just remember to take things easy, don’t be too hard on yourself and try and look for the positives.