It’s official: summer is coming to a close. Gone are the days filled with outdoor festivals, beach vacations, neighborhood pool parties, and fun-filled barbeques. It’s time to get back to work.
Most working Americans acknowledge that the close of the Labor Day weekend symbolizes the return of the fall grind and new data from a national study commissioned by Mars Drink confirms that the struggle and stress faced by many people at this time of year is very real.
The data also showed that the best way to tackle the struggle is with a plan.
Survey results found:
- 4 out of 10 employed Americans feel extreme stress or dread about returning to work after the Labor Day holiday.
- When transitioning back to work in the fall, Americans use the following tactics to help them get organized:
- 25% clean out their email inbox.
- 20% start a new family morning routine.
- 20% block time on their calendars for planning and organization.
- 15 % schedule time with a manager to discuss priorities.
4 ways to reduce the stress of returning to the grind
“Labor Day symbolizes the unofficial end of the summer season and for many of us, a return to a busier daily routine at home and increased activity at work,” said Xavier Unkovic, Mars Drinks’ global president.
“But going back to work doesn’t have to be a stressful time,” he adds. “Business leaders and employees can implement small changes to their workday routines that help reduce stress and make life at work better.”
Unkovic offers the following tips to help you transition from summer, and jumpstart productivity heading into the fall.
- Get inspired.
- Maintain the activities that energize you outside of your work. Find a way to keep attending that yoga class even though the summer is over.
- Savor your morning coffee while reading an inspirational article before diving into your email.
- Get organized.
- Clean out your email inbox. If you have non-critical items you haven’t gotten to, pitch them and get a clean start.
- Reduce stress at work by organizing yourself the night before.
- Manage your time
- Book time for short breaks throughout the day. Even taking time for a cup of coffee between meetings will help you to relax and refresh.
- Keep a longer term calendar of your projects so that when new requests emerge, you can determine what’s possible and communicate.
- Stay connected.
- You still have a few days of sunshine—take meetings outdoors if possible.
Keep up the volunteering—it’s a great way to stay connected to the things you love the most outside of work.
