So, you took a few days' annual leave for the sake of your sanity. It seemed like a good idea at the time.
You might've slipped into a delicious pattern of sleeping late, and having mid-morning coffee at the kitchen table with your manuscript. Or maybe you explored a different part of the world for a couple of weeks, and came home bursting with new ideas and experiences. It doesn't matter what you do during annual leave; spending time away from the Day Job Monster is an unbelievable luxury, isn't it?
But when the glorious days of freedom draw to an end, you're facing a nasty little reality check. Because now you have to go back to work. The drums of impending doom are deafening.
Don't panic! There are ways to deal with the hateful experience of stepping from your real life back into the fluorescent office world. Here are six of the best.
1. Devote yourself to relaxation.
The night before you have to get back into the Monster race, go see the funniest movie in town. Spend the evening laughing and relaxing, rather than brooding and pacing. Have a glass of wine, or two. (But preferably not seven.) Deliberately create a state of mind that makes you feel good, and strong enough to face the inevitable despair of the next morning.
2. Sleep properly.
If you sleep badly the night before your first day back with the Day Job Monster, you pretty much guarantee the day will be worse than it has to be. If you're prone to worry-related insomnia, take some steps to make sure you don't lie awake all night.
Head off for a long walk in the early evening so that you're physically tired, take a long relaxing bath, or enter the escapist world of a gripping novel. There are a range of natural sleeping aids on the market as well; ask at your local pharmacy about effective herbal supplements.
3. Be unusually kind to yourself.
The first morning back at work will be tough. It's not the time to withdraw cold-turkey from coffee, or start a radical new starvation diet. Accept you might need some treats to even make it out your front door.
Freshly ground coffee, your favorite shirt, a warmed chocolate croissant, breakfast TV, what will it take? A morning like this qualifies as an emergency! It's not the moment to worry about pastry-related calories, or junk TV. You're creating a miracle by getting to work. Use whatever resources you need to make it happen.
4. Play some breakfast music.
What kind of music do you find most therapeutic? What lifts you up and makes you smile? Listen to your favorite CD - loudly - before you leave the house. Use the power of music to consciously alter your frame of mind for the better.
Why not listen to this uplifting CD on the way to work? Or at your desk with some headphones?
5. Celebrate not quitting before lunch.
When you've staggered through the morning and arrived at the halfway point of your first day back, it's time to celebrate. It's a monumental achievement, and by now you probably feel like you've climbed a mountain.
Reward yourself over lunch. Get out of the office, and find a truly superb gourmet sandwich, indulge in a little retail therapy, or catch up with a friend. Do not run errands. Not under any circumstances. Not today. Stand in line in the grocery store or post office tomorrow.
6. Affirm your priorities.
After lunch, you have the afternoon to get through. Remind yourself why you're working this job by doing something for your writing career. Schedule writing time into your work calendar immediately - plan what you'll do in your breaks and some of your lunch hours for the next month.
And keep a notebook within reach so you can scribble down a rough character sketch when a colleague displays a new type of dysfunctional behavior. What else from your daily work environment could you use as manuscript fodder?
Going back to work after a vacation is a true test of courage. It's a challenge adjusting to the strident lighting and the tedious nature of the Day Job Monster's world, there's no doubt about it. But the first day back is always the worst. Once you slot onto autopilot mode, it gets easier to go through the motions of the day, and then make it back to your real life.
Dr. Liz Hardy is a published author and professional Day Job Monster tamer. She can show you how to hold down a day job, and still find the time and energy for your real work, writing. She offers creative support for writers at http://www.dayjobmonster.com
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