Well, friends, the holidays are officially over and the office is back in the swing of things. Those two weeks of busy work and long lunches are gone and it’s time to get back to your crazy routine. The adjustment period between New Years and MLK Day is rough - everyone’s slowly trickling back in from vacations, people are getting sick with the Flu, Q1 is starting up, etc. It can be tough to focus and really make the most of your time - But you should try. Here are a few ways you can be sure you’re optimizing your time this post-holiday season:

• Make a To-Do List- When you get back to your desk after a few weeks away or after the hustle and bustle of the holidays, it’s easy to think “now what?” While it may seem daunting trying to remember what you were working on and what you should be working on, and all of that fun stuff it’s important to take a step back. Pull out a pen - yes a pen - and write down a to-do lost. Get it all out on a pad of paper and go from there. Once you have all of your ducks in a row, start to prioritize. See what’s most important and work your way from there. Once your list is solidified, start working! Now, at least for that first day back you have something to do.

• Put Your Phone Down- Remember when we mentioned this key point in our “How to Stay Focused During the Holidays” blog? Our phones are such a major distraction these days that it’s honestly shocking how much work you can accomplish if you just put it away - even if it’s for an hour at a time. Here’s an excerpt from that blog around phones: “Yes, personal things come up and you may need to take a call here and there but ultimately, put the phone down. Instagram, Facebook, and your dating profile can wait until 5 p.m. What is meant as a 5-minute break can easily turn into 30-minutes - don't act like that hasn't happened before...we don't judge...too harshly. But seriously, put the phone away for most of the day. Lock it in your desk, turn on 'do not disturb', or at the very least, put it on silent. You'd be surprised how much more you're able to focus when you're not logging into Instagram 15 times a day.”

• Close Your Door- No, it’s not rude or distant if you keep your door closed at work. Sometimes keeping it open is an invitation to any passers-by to just walk on in without warning. While it’s great to visit with your team during the day they can sometimes be your biggest distractor from your daily duties and tasks. By keeping your door closed, your co-workers are more inclined to assume that you’re busy and knock, or go the other way. If your “to-do” list is long and you really need to focus, try keeping your door closed to block out any unwelcome guests or distractions.

• Mute Notifications- This goes hand in hand with the whole, putting your phone down thing. Mute your notifications. Whether it be your work instant messenger (Slack), your cell phone, or anything else that could ping, ring, or disturb you - Silence it! Seriously, we’re not saying to ignore everyone and tick off your co-workers who are trying to get in contact with you, but silencing your apps and devices every few hours during the day can make all the difference in your productivity.

• Get to Work On Time- A quick and fairly easy way to stay focused at work is to arrive on time! Surprised? When you arrive on time or even early, you feel productive, accomplished - you showed up…While everyone has to do this, it’s important to get back into a routine, especially after those late nights our and mornings slept in during your time off. Plus, if you decide to arrive to work early, it gives you time - whether it’s ten minutes or thirty, to just relax at your desk. Odds are, no one else is there and you can just ease into your day with a cup of coffee and some alone time. This would also be the perfect time to get that to-do list done…Just sayin’.

• Stay Fed!- You must eat to be productive. Period. Whether you’re swamped with work or you have all the free time in the world, your body will not work properly if it’s starving. So, take time for snacks or lunch. It’s important that you’re focusing on your work - not your growling stomach or mouth-watering thoughts about Chick Fil A down the street. Seriously, eating is important and if you want to make the most of your time and limit your distractions - a nice meal will certainly aid and assist!

• Clean Out Your Inbox- It’s happening - you’ve taken two weeks off of work, you sent the “Out of Office” emails and now you’re back….to hundreds of unread messages. Quell the screams in your mind - it’s going to be okay. First, scan your inbox for any spam - it’s bound to pile up after awhile so tackle that first. Once you’ve eliminated all spam - then you can start to weed through the serious stuff. Just like you should make a “to-do” list with your work, you can do the same with email. Prioritize, prioritize, prioritize.

• Ease Back Into It- This may be a shock, but don’t go full force on your first day. Take that first day after weeks off to readjust yourself to your busy schedule. Early January is high time for sickness too with various strains of the flu floating around, so be sure you take care of yourself. Yes, prioritize and get done what you need to but also take the time to get accustomed to your busy schedule and don’t overwork yourself on your first day back - you have the whole year to do that!

What other ways do you think are the most helpful in optimizing your time back at work? Are there other ways on this list that we missed? Let us know!