The holiday period, which this year was in close proximity to the summer vacation, has come to an end, and nowadays many are returning from vacations in Israel and abroad to regular and prolonged work. Clalit Health Services warns that the first days of re-entering the work circle and routine are difficult adaptation days for many.
In order to ease adaptation during the first days at work, and in order to adopt a healthy lifestyle and prevent burnout at work throughout the entire year, Dr. Sigal Mazor, director of the Department of Health Education and Promotion at Clalit, detailed a series of recommendations on returning to routine.
"The holiday period is behind us, and after weeks of vacations, meals, outings from routine, and schedule changes, we are returning to work and routine," she explained. "Returning to routine can actually be a good opportunity to stop for a moment, organize things, and return to habits that do us good. You do not need to do everything in one day, and you do not have to immediately return to full pace. You can start gradually and rebuild a blessed routine that we can maintain over time."
Dr. Mazor explained that if during the holiday period we did not manage to maintain our workout routine, this is the time to simply return to it, as quickly as possible. "There is no need to 'compensate only for what we did not do' or start a particularly ambitious plan. We return to activities that we know and love, schedule them in the calendar, and try to make them a permanent part of the week again. Even walking, bicycle riding, or any other activity that you enjoy is an excellent start," she said.
She also emphasized the need to organize work: "After a period of vacations, it is easy to feel that everything is urgent and that everything is waiting for us. Instead of trying to accomplish everything at once, go over the tasks, arrange them by urgency and importance, and then deal with one thing after another. A clear set of priorities can reduce the feeling of overwhelm and help us return to pace in a more efficient and pleasant manner."
Building a balanced routine after the holidays
She further recommended preserving what was good during the holidays: "Returning to routine does not mean giving up on the good things that were there during the holiday period. Try to maintain family and social gatherings even in the routine, and especially joint time without screens: A family meal, a trip, a game, a joint walk, or simply time for conversation," she said.
"Within a busy week, it is advisable to set in advance several things that are our anchors: A regular workout, a family meal, a meeting with friends, couples' time, a walk, a hobby, or even quiet time for ourselves. When these things are in the calendar and do not remain only for 'if there is time,' it is easier to maintain balance even during busy periods," she further recommended.
"Even on a busy workday, it is important to generate short breaks. Get up from the chair, stretch the body, go out for a few minutes into the air, eat lunch as peacefully as possible, or take a few deep breaths. A break is not a waste of time – on the contrary, it can help us return to the next task more focused and refreshed."
Dr. Mazor emphasized the need to keep room also for things we love: "Hobbies are an important part of a healthy routine. Gardening combines movement, staying outdoors, and a relaxing activity; crafting, painting, music, cooking, or handiwork allow us to disconnect for a moment from the load and activate other parts of ourselves. Not every leisure activity needs to be 'efficient' or advance a goal; it is permissible and desirable to do something simply 'because it is pleasant for us,'" she concluded.
"Returning to routine is not a race to catch up on everything that accumulated. It is an opportunity to rebuild our day to day: To return to movement, organize things, maintain the connections that are important to us, and create small anchors that do us good. A good routine is not a routine in which everything is accomplished, but a routine in which there is room for us as well."