Tips for getting back into your daily routine after Christmas
Counting down the days left until the end of the holidays? We know that getting back into the swing of things after the holidays is no easy task, but these eight tips will make returning to your daily routine a bit easier.
After days of heavy meals, celebrations and some very late nights, getting back into a routine after Christmas can feel like a challenge. However, January doesn't have to feel like a burden; on the contrary, it's an opportunity to start over. It’s an ideal time to make new resolutions and to recover, or even start new healthy habits that will make us feel better.
With a positive attitude, getting back to normal can become a much easier and rewarding process. Patience will be key, especially during the first few days. Instead of trying to change everything at once, it is preferable to make these changes by stages to make the return to our daily routine more bearable:
Tidy up
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The first thing we should do is gather all the Christmas decorations, put away the tree and any leftover sweets to get us in the right frame of mind for the end of the holidays. Keeping our home neat and tidy will help us to be more productive and face the New Year better.
Make resolutions
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January is the ideal time to make new resolutions, both professional and personal. As we mentioned, this can be a great source of motivation to start the year. Make a short list of the most important and transformative ones and focus on achieving them little by little.
Planning and prioritising is key
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On your return from the holidays, write down all your pending tasks and prioritise them. Don't try to tackle them all at once but rather focus on doing them one by one in order of importance. Returning to work can be overwhelming due to the number of things we have on our to-do list, but it is essential not to try to solve everything the first day after the holidays, as we will not be able to do so and the only thing we will achieve is to stress ourselves unnecessarily.
Set schedules
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Christmas alters our circadian rhythms, i.e. the natural cycle of physical and mental changes that our body undergoes throughout a day, such as hunger and sleep. Planning when to wake up, go to sleep or eat is key to resetting them. When we return from holidays, we should sleep at least eight hours and take breaks throughout the day to ensure we are getting adequate rest.
Tweak your diet
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Christmas is a season for rest and joy, but it can also involve overeating. After the holidays, it is time to leave behind the puddings and seasonal sweets and welcome a healthy diet. January is a good time to detox and opt for lighter and healthier meals. Planning your meals in advance can make this task easier, especially at the beginning. With a healthier diet you will feel better physically, and that will also have an impact on your mental health.
Exercise
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We may have stopped working out during the holidays and, as a result, we may be less fit. It is therefore advisable to set reasonable goals for your return, which you will gradually increase. The most important thing is to get back into the habit of exercising and not to focus on achieving big goals. Remember to warm up beforehand and stay hydrated at all times. Practising sport with others may help, especially in the first few days.
Enjoy your leisure time
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Although we may be back to our normal work schedule, it is important not to overlook our leisure time. During these breaks, it is highly advisable to completely disconnect and enjoy having time to ourselves.
Taking care of the little ones
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If we have children, the return to school can be particularly hard for them and, as parents, we will have to support their process of readjustment. To ease this transition, we can begin by establishing a routine a few days beforehand, setting bedtimes and wake-up times, and gradually moving towards healthier meals to avoid sudden changes.
