Over the last couple of months, I have been sharing tips and actions to ensure that you could enjoy time off with your children during the summer holidays. But what happens when you return to normality? Do you feel deflated and overwhelmed? Find it hard to adjust to your normal routine? This month I am going to take an in-depth look at how business owners can beat post-holiday blues.

What are post-holiday blues?

You shouldn’t really dread going back to work following a holiday, but sometimes the positive effect of a good holiday on our wellbeing can make it difficult to return to normality. 

Here are a few tell-tale signs that you may be suffering from post-holiday blues:

  • Feeling moody and irritable
  • Lacking motivation
  • Anxiety before each working day
  • Broken sleep or insomnia
  • Stressing out over small things

The good news is that these signs are normally relatively short-lived. There are some positive steps you can take to regain your mojo and positive outlook.

How business owners can beat post-holiday blues

At home

Anyone who knows me will tell you that I am a planner! I would highly recommend putting the same amount of thought and care for returning from holiday, that you put into the holiday itself. If you can prepare for coming back before you go away, it will reduce the stress at home that can exacerbate post-holiday blues! For example:

  • Bulk cook a few meals and put them in the freezer for when you get back (remember to label them!), to avoid the pressure of a ‘big shop’ as soon as you come home
  • Try to leave the house tidy, so you come back to a clean and relaxing environment, rather than chaos!
  • Make sure the children’s clothes are organised, so they can easily find school uniforms, and you can decide what new items they need straight away

Late nights and breakfasts can be habit forming, so make sure that when you get back, you implement a good bedtime routine for the whole family, including yourself. 

At work

Your focus has all been on the holiday. Organising, packing, ensuring the children have fun, getting them ready to go back to school, etc. Trying to regain motivation and focus on your business, can be a challenge.

Holidays are a break from routine, and if you have made the most of your time away from the business, it can leave you feeling a bit deflated and out of sorts.

The first thing you need to realise is that how you are feeling is normal, You will be sad that the holidays are over, no matter how much you love your business! 

Secondly, you are not alone! CV Library found that more than 57% of employees looked for a new job in September; more than 28% found getting up for work a struggle after a holiday; almost 11% found all inboxes full of unread emails an impossible challenge and 8.5% lacked motivation. More interestingly, almost 87% thought that keeping up morale in the workforce was the responsibility of their employer.

It is therefore crucial that you know how business owners can beat post-holiday blues. Here are a few tips for a smooth and stress-free return to the office:

Look after your health and that of your employees who have been working hard while you were on holiday – there is more on this in my blog ‘What is resilience in business?’

If you can, ease yourself in gradually – only tackle the top priority tasks

Sort your emails into categories and don’t be tempted to answer them all on your first day back – just the top priority ones

Reconnect with your team and ask them to update you on the major things that happened while you were away

Avoid recriminations if things went wrong! Instead, concentrate on problem-solving, asking your team for ideas to fix things

Remind yourself of your business goals and short-term objectives – regaining focus is how business owners can beat post-holiday blues

Make a to-list based on priority and make sure that you break each task down into smaller chunks, so you are not overwhelmed (read more on this in my blog ‘How to break tasks down’)

Reward and celebrate the hard work of your team to heighten morale and positivity

How an online business manager can help you to refocus

Ask yourself the question: “Did my business run smoothly while I was away?” If you took on board the tips and advice I provided in ‘How to prepare your business for the summer holidays’, the answer to this question should be ‘Yes!’

However, if you have returned to the office and found that things have not gone well in your absence, it could be because your business relies too heavily on your presence. If this is the case, and you have found returning to work after the summer holidays overwhelming, read my blog called ‘How to stop doing everything in your business’, which explains how delegating authority and responsibility, enables you to take a step back to concentrate on the bigger picture.

If you have found picking up where you left off before your holiday traumatic, then it is probably time to think about getting some constructive help.

Have you thought about hiring an online business manager (OBM)? 

They can take care of the effective day-to-day running of your business, without the need for your involvement. This is an effective solution to how business owners can beat pot-holiday blues because your business will continue as normal while you are on holiday. Moreover, you won’t come back to an overflowing inbox of problems to sort out!

An OBM has all the business management skills required to:

  • Implement efficient processes and business systems
  • Establish a robust business structure
  • Create a plan of action to move your business forward
  • Identify KPIs for each business area
  • Delegate tasks effectively to the right members of your team
  • Keep track of progress and report the results to you 

Handing over the responsibility for day-to-day operations may sound scary at first. However, if you are on your phone all the time or your business grinds to a halt when you take a holiday, an online business manager can help. They take care of the day-to-day running of your business, minimising the effects of post-holiday blues when you return.

How business owners can beat post-holiday blues

Are you overwhelmed with work and impossible decisions when returning from holiday? 

If you are looking for an answer to how business owners can beat post-holiday blues, call Elaine at Spero Solutions on 07846 754 747 to find out how an online business manager package can ensure the smooth running of your business when you are on holiday, enabling a calm and focused return to the office.