Empty diary
‘Don’t plunge straight into your work in your first two days back, but keep them free in your diary. Use the time to work through your email so your inbox is totally empty again. Plan the first few days or even weeks. And remember: a bit of work pressure is not a bad thing, but work stress is. If you are actually suffering from the latter, talk to your line manager about it to figure out how to solve it together.’
Bram de Vos, general director of ESG
Extended out-of-office
‘Devote the last working day before the holiday entirely to rounding things off properly and getting an overview of the tasks you need to tackle after the holiday. Start your out-of-office message in Outlook from that day, so people know not to expect a response from you. And let that message continue until after your first day back at work. That gives you some extra starting-up time. And don’t go straight from relaxation mode into firing on all cylinders. Keep the first day back at work free for you to get an overview and to prioritize. And reserve time in your first week to catch up with your colleagues.’
Corporate social work team, WUR
Stand-up meetings
‘It helps me to make a schedule straight after my holiday, with everything that needs doing. I make a distinction between urgent tasks with a deadline, like grading papers, and tasks that are important to me as a researcher, such as writing an article. That way you avoid only throwing yourself into tasks with a deadline. Also, after the holiday I schedule “stand-up meetings” with my colleagues. These are 15-minute discussions that you conduct standing up. You share what you are going to do that day, what’s nice and what poses a challenge. Especially now that we are working online a lot, that is a nice way to start after the holiday.’
Tamara Metze, associate professor of Business Studies
Surf your stress
‘Life isn’t a sprint. It’s more like a series of waves: things that require attention come and go. It takes time and energy to focus effectively after a holiday, so make space for it. Plan important activities outside the days just before and after your holiday. That way you create a wave of focus during your working weeks. Surf your stress!’
Thomas Heger, MSc student of Plant Sciences
Alternate
‘Sadly, stress after a holiday due to the work that’s piled up is normal among researchers. Before I go away, I plan all the tasks, major and minor, that I need to do when I get back. That helps me to be more relaxed during the holiday. As soon as I get back, I stick to my routine and my list of tasks. I alternate between major and minor tasks, and by working like that I get some satisfaction about the progress I’m making. Who knows, maybe that approach could work for you too.’
Catarina Vila Pouca, postdoc in the Behavioural Ecology Group
Next WURry: Should I become a member?
Do you have advice or tips for this Wurrier? Or could you use some good advice yourself? Email your tips or your question (100 words max) by 22 August to resource@wur.nl, subject line noWURries.
