Photo credit: Aleks Curac Saric
Some people find it hard getting into the holiday spirit, but for most of us, I think, it’s much harder getting back to business after the lazy, jolly holidays are over! Flipping the switch from a ‘Xmas’ to ‘Work’ mindset can be a bit tricky. So here’s some advice that you might find helpful.
Dear food, it’s not me, it’s you
After those glorious days or even weeks of eating and drinking like a king and/or queen, it’s time for your body and you to have a serious talk. I have broken up with girlfriends and managed to convince them that is was truly me and not them, but convincing my body that we cannot continue eating and drinking like this is something I have yet to master. My advice: do it like a you are taking off a Band-Aid: Swift and without mercy. Have a fruit smoothie for breakfast! I AM kidding, of course. Anyone who is able to down a fruit smoothie when there are still Xmas leftovers in the fridge is a robot sent from the future posing as a human being. Enjoy those leftovers, fellow human, and scoff at those with smoothies.
The truth behind New Year’s resolutions
They are like Santa. At first, you really believed in them. They were amazing and you loved them. But slowly you realise that it’s a fiction and that not one person around you actually stuck to their resolution longer than 3-7 minutes. That is about the time it takes after starting that New Year’s exercise regimen for you to say: “To hell with this, where is the nearest pastry shop?” I truly believe the concept of New Year’s resolutions was invented by sporting-goodsstores to sell us equipment that we’ll never use. Anyone who makes a New Year’s resolution and actually sticks to it is, again, a robot sent from the future posing as a human being. So my advice: no need to feel about any NY resolutions, now you know the truth! About the author Aleks Curac Saric is a Croation stand-up comedian who applies his out-of-the-box thinking also as Creative Director in Macedonian NewMan’s Business Accelerator. In this role he also works as trainer and mentor with young startups. He has been recently featured as Profile of the Week on inventures, see below. More information about Aleks can be found on alekscuracsaric.me
Make it Irish!
I’m not saying you should drink at work…OK, I might, but hear me out. In my opinion, keeping that buzz going is a must for the first week back at work. After spending that much time with your family we are all a bit on edge and are bound to lash out at a co-worker for simply breathing in a weird way. That buzz will prevent this and thus help you keep your job. So whatever you are drinking out of your new “World’s Greatest Whatever” mug, make it Irish!
Fake it till you make it
Photo credit: Aleks Curac Saric
When I am on fire, I can handle any kind of workload. But in that first week after the holidays I can barely handle two consecutive hours of work, let alone a whole workday. So what I do is this: Put my headphones on, open a random PDF and just space out. The document is, of course, filled with bunch of technical terms, so if anyone glances over my shoulder, they’ll have no idea what they’re looking at. That leaves me free to space out and, as my space-out face is the same as my focused face, I am in the clear! I’ll probably be thinking about buying that exercising equipment I saw on an infomercial last night at 2:00 a.m., but I hope you are smarter than that.
Back to school, to prove to dad I’m not a fool
But, of course, there’s some work to be done too. For me, the Xmas break means I have been all over the place and have hardly done anything creative, so now my creative juices are bubbling and are ready to explode! (Yes, this sounds as dirty as I wanted it to.) SoI open a blank document in which I write every little and big idea I have and let it simmer for a week or so. Then I come back to it and read all that I wrote to see what’s still good, and what’s so ridiculous that even Kanye would tell me to tone it down a bit. By picking out the good ones, I’ve managed to make a good start into the new year and feel better about myself straight away!
And last but not least: remember the good times (if you can!)
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I am referring the office Xmas party, oh yes, that party! We all know that it is a bubble event and that means what happens there, stays in the bubble. So it’s a time-honoured tradition for all of us to get a bit (too) tipsy at the office Xmas party. If you have done so successfully last year or before, I am sure you are smiling while reading this. If you haven’t, dear reader, I kindly recommend to make it to your New Year resolution – as it might be one you even manage to follow through 🙂
Happy New Year everyone!
