Summer is dwindling to a close, autumn is looming, and the memories of those long hot days at the beach or bach are fading into the past. That back to work feeling is intruding on our thoughts, and you have to say goodbye to the freedom of not having to check your emails – and hello to the prospect of another eleven months of waiting for 5 o’clock to arrive.

The first thing is to embrace your mood – and know it’s not your fault. Feeling blue because the holidays are over, combined with irregular sleep patterns while you weren’t at work, can throw our body-clocks out of synch and make us feel jet-lagged.

Try these tips to re-motivate yourself, and to beat the holiday blues –

• Have a healthy breakfast – give yourself the energy to make it to lunch, and keep your brain cells healthy.
• Get some fresh air – take a five minute walk outside. Fresh air cleanses the lungs and improves metabolic rate, blood pressure and heart rate.
• Start thinking about another holiday – even if it is months away, planning can motivate you through the dreary winter months.
• De-clutter your office space – evaluate what you actually need at your desk, and what can go. Clutter creates inefficiency.

This is a good time to push yourself a bit further than you think you can go, stretch yourself mentally, and increase your productivity. You are at work for about eight hours a day – this is a big part of your life, and you should treat your job with pride!