You are sitting at your desk again, in front of your computer. The holidays flew by. The leaves will start to fall as autumn is almost here. Despite all this, cheer up: there is a way to start the new working year positively and full of energy.

 

1. Your head is full of good memories from vacations: don’t try to forget, hold on to them. Use them as a reminder that happy moments are not rare and many others will come soon. It doesn’t have to be summer to have fun with your family or to enjoy a relaxing moment.

 

2. Do you like your job? If the answer is yes, then focus on it and think how lucky you are to have the chance to earn money doing something you would do anyway, no matter what. If the answer is no, then find a way out of it. This global crisis is also a chance to re-invent yourself. Find a niche. Occupy it. 

3. Find a class to attend. A new thing that will keep your brain fresh, that will make you feel renewed. Whether it’s boxing, gardening or a reading club, force yourself to venture into something new and challenging.

  

4. Spoil yourself. It doesn’t have to be expensive, but treat yourself. Go to a movie, buy a massage, a new book. Remind yourself that happiness lies also in the small things and go find them. Too often we ignore our small needs.

5. Eat better. Whether you are a foodie or not before vacation, take it to another level. Find a new restaurant, or go to that expensive one you have always dreamed of. Try a new recipe. Find a new ingredient. Eat more healthily.

   

6. I am sure there is something you left undone before going on vacation. A project, a coffee with a friend you haven’t seen in a while, a necessary purchase, a visit to someone. Do it: it will give you direction, a sense of accomplishment.

7. You probably feel like you haven’t worked in a year although maybe it’s been only a week. You are distracted, so take it step by step. The first days start from the easiest tasks, the most repetitive ones that don’t require much concentration. Read your emails, write down a list of priorities. Repeat to yourself you’ll get everything done and you will do it well.

8. It’s OK to feel sad, don’t fight it. Sometimes we just ask too much of ourselves and we forget to embrace difficult moments for what they are. Take the time to adjust, just don’t allow yourself to indulge in it. Give yourself a deadline: “within X days, I’ll be back on (a happy) track”.

  

9. This is not the last vacation of your life. In fact, you can get yourself another getaway the next weekend. Surf low cost airlines and pick a close destination, go. Whether alone or in good company it will give you a breathe of fresh air and will not make you feel trapped within the four walls of the office.

  

10. It doesn’t matter if you are single or not, if you have many friends or not. If you feel bored by your life or simply stuck too much into routine, change it: you have the power to do it and the right to be satisfied. Court your loved one again, date more (or less!), rediscover your city. Make an effort to change even if it’s something small.

Written by: Elisa della Barba