How to get back into a good work routine

Not only are we coming out of a long and cold winter, we are also preparing to emerge from the most protracted and difficult lockdown of this pandemic. Many of us have been working from home, while others have been on furlough; and for so long have we been following this new lifestyle, getting back to a regular work routine may prove difficult. However disciplined we have been over the last few months, reestablishing a regular routine might be challenging. Here are a few tips to help you get back into your old regime of work.

1. Attempt to get into a good sleeping routine

If you have been away from your regular workplace for some time you may have allowed bad sleeping habits to establish themselves. Perhaps you now go to bed in the early hours of the morning, and get up late. Without having to commute in the morning this lifestyle may be possible, but with the return to (some form of) normality, more civilised sleeping hours must be reestablished. It would be far better if you attempted to `recalibrate` your body clock before you go back to work, as it may take some considerable time to reestablish normal sleeping patterns. You could try setting your alarm for an hour before your current waking time for a few days, then set the alarm two hours earlier, repeating this process until you are acclimatised to your old sleeping pattern.
Many factors go into calibrating your body clock - the circadian cycle as it is termed - and along with your sleeping patterns, mealtimes are another important variable that attune your body into a routine. Try to have breakfast, lunch and dinner at roughly the same time each day, and you will soon find yourself falling asleep only moments after going to bed, and waking up feeling fully refreshed. You should also avoid using any screens - tv, phones or computers - within an hour of bedtime, as they can disrupt the circadian cycle.

2. Have everything prepared for the morning

Whether you will be travelling to work or school, it is always helpful to have everything ready and prepared the night before. The very last thing you want in the early hours in the morning is to be hunting for some document or piece of work. It will be far better to have everything planned the night before, so you can simply pick up your bag, confident that everything you need for the day has been packed.

3. Maintain a good diet, and stay hydrated

Having our lives significantly disrupted for more than a year now has led to many of us (myself included) overeating, and cutting back on exercise. With governmental edicts to stay at home, and the closure of gyms and other heath facilities, we can hardly be blamed for this; but with the easing of lockdown restrictions we should attempt to adopt a more healthy lifestyle. The body and the mind are inseparably connected: one cannot hope for the vigour of one without the clarity of the other. A good breakfast is essential if one is to be set up for a day`s work - yet so many of us neglect this most important meal, perhaps wolfing down a piece of fruit or a of bowl of cereal, as we rush to leave in the morning.
Try getting up just a little earlier, so you have time to sit down and have a hearty breakfast. Your brain has been fasting throughout the night, and it`s important to break this fast with a healthy and sustaining meal. A cup of sugared coffee may give you a brief boost, but before you even arrive at your workplace you`ll be hungry.

4. Write a `to do` list

Simply setting down on paper the tasks you have to carry out is more than just an instructive procedure, for it can actually make the upcoming day`s chores less intimidating. With a simple list you are less likely to be overwhelmed by your work, and won`t forget to complete all the items assigned to you. The list will also help you organise your day, ensuring you don`t spend a disproportionate amount of time on some areas, while neglecting others. Seeing a list of all the things you have to accomplish should also put you in a positive frame of mind, and instil you with the motivation to complete them.

5. Try to have a good work-life balance

An EU study conducted in 2018 showed that UK workers have the longest working week: 42 hours on average, nearly two hours longer than the EU average. Industriousness is certainly a commendable character trait, but it is important to schedule in some recreation time. Though you may have some work to do at the weekend, it is important to us this some of this time to relax. Numerous studies have shown that taking regular breaks will actually make you more productive.