Post-summer blues? Here’s how to get the ‘oomph’ back for you and your team

Are you ready for the crash, which this year seems doubly cruel because Mother Nature and her chum, El Nino, have decided to lay on a heatwave for us just as we’re all trudging back to work?

According to many websites and magazines with space to fill, the September blues are a thing. It's common to get feelings of anxiety ' and melancholy as the nights shorten, August turns to September, and the prices of holidays come down.

I took a tip from the parental playbook and tried to take the edge off my end-of-summer malaise by treating myself to a new pencil case from Smiggle (it’s got a built-in compass and a secret compartment where I can hide the notes Ian from IT leaves me), but to paraphrase The Verve, the stationery don’t work. 

Summer’s over (bar the heatwave), and it's time to get back in the game and stop drinking during the day. No more siestas or sangria at lunch. It’s no longer correct etiquette to wear your speedos to the office or during team calls, even if people can only see your top half.  

To be honest, I’m lucky. I love my work, and although it does get particularly busy in September after an August hiatus, I enjoy being on the road, spreading happiness and meeting people. It also gets me out of the house and away from Barry, the Laughology cat, who has become over-reliant and overbearing during the summer lull.

Six tips to get motivated back into work after a summer break

But for those of you who find it takes a while to get your mojos back after summer recess, here are some handy tips that will brighten up those end-of-summer blues.  

1. Set Exciting Goals

Kickstart your motivation by setting clear and exciting goals for yourself. It could be joining a challenging project (work-based or voluntary), learning a new skill, or setting a physical challenge. Having something to aim for can reignite your passion and motivation.

2. Refresh your workspace 

This is where the Smiggle pencil case comes in. Treating yourself to new work stuff or decluttering and rearranging your workspace can work wonders for your focus.

3. Plan breaks and make them fun

Incorporate moments of fun into your workday. Schedule short breaks to do something enjoyable, like a walk in the park or a coffee with a friend, virtually or face to face. You could even watch five minutes of your favourite comedian on YouTube with a work chum. These breaks are good for your brain and can be built around achieving small goals, like finishing a proposal or a presentation. Setting yourself small targets and rewards motivates, engages, and boosts energy and creativity.

You could even book yourself onto a Laughology Laughter and Learning at Lunchtime webinar. There are a few to choose from over the next few months. 

4. Celebrate small wins and set mini goals 

Reward yourself and others for small victories. It could be as simple as celebrating finishing a presentation plan or getting to the end of the first week back. Treating yourself and sharing these mini goals and wins means you have things to look forward to.

5. Build a happiness network

Surround yourself with positive people who inspire you. Create a small group of people at work you can meet with in person or virtually to chat through ideas and projects and celebrate each other's achievements. Team success is a powerful motivator. Why not try asking people you don’t know too well? This helps challenge your thinking and can help with cross-team collaboration and information sharing.

6. Get away for lunch

Don’t sit at your desk and eat lunch. At least three times a week, go outside for a change of scenery.  Even 15 minutes of not staring at your screen boosts cognitive ability and focus.  

Six ways to inspire your team and get focus

So now you’ve got yourself in the right headspace, how can you support your team as well?

1. Be interested

When your team returns from their summer escapades, put on your best 'Tell me everything!' face. Encourage them to share their holiday tales with the team; you can even give a fun prize for the best holiday snap, funny story or activity. Invite two team members a week to share their funny stories at your team meets, which will see you through September and keep everyone laughing through the month.

2.  Reset goals and priorities together

Schedule one-on-one meetings. Discuss priorities, set goals, and outline expectations. 

3. Appreciation

Tell your team members how they were missed. Throw in a heartfelt 'Welcome back, superstar!' to make them feel appreciated. 

4.  Workload

Be gentle with their workload. They might need a couple of days to battle their overflowing inbox. After the email battlefield is conquered, motivate them to tackle new projects and encourage them to share ideas.

5.  Incentives

Motivation can come in the form of treats – not just bonuses! Treat them to lunch or hand out vouchers for their favourite activities/restaurants if they reach targets over the next month. 

6.  Get future-focused

Remind them of exciting upcoming events, like the office Christmas party or the industry awards bash. Let them know the fun isn't over after their summer vacation. If you haven’t planned anything yet, get in touch with the Laughology team, and we can support you in creating a fun away day for Christmas or before, helping to get the team back together and feel connected.

And if none of this works, you might just want to encourage them to book another holiday to look forward to.  After all, it's only seven months until spring.

Get in touch with doug@laughology.co.uk to chat through ideas that give your team some oomph.