Back to work?

I already did the school run this morning, walked the dog, and took three kids to school before heading straight to the gym. And to make that happen, I set the alarm for half past five to prepare my work. We're back in sixth gear, but I really want to hold on to that vacation feeling. Now I read in the Summer Book of Psychology some nice tips.

1. Take more breaks
They're called micropauzes. After 45 minutes of hustling, you should take five minutes to clear your head. Daan and I then roll a gray container into our office and go through things here. I don't know if neuropsychiatrists see that as the perfect use of a micropause, but we enjoy it.

2. Do nothing for a while
I'm really bad at this. You probably are too. Standing at a traffic light and still checking your WhatsApp? Why? According to Psychology Magazine, you should let idle moments be idle. So just do nothing while waiting for the bus, watch the birds. The pavement tiles. Whatever. It disconnects you from the stress level caused by checking emails, apps, and Insta likes.

3. Sleep!
As long as possible. This keeps you zen, allows you to take hits, and perform well.

4. Get up early
We seem to be sharpest between 10:00 and 13:00. And during that ‘time slot’, we also have the least stress. So if you want to get a lot done, make sure to seize and utilize this moment. Then you can do something fun again, feeling good about your actions.

5. Make breaks extra fun
Why not bike to the lake near your work to take a dip? You do that on vacation too, right? Celebrate the day. Seize the break.

6. Set a sleep alarm
This reminds you of your ‘you need to go to bed’ time. And this brings you back to the importance of point 3.

7. Mario Biondi

When you get home Mario Biondi on, mix yourself a nice non-alcoholic drink or go for a bike ride to the ice cream parlor after dinner.