New Zealanders hang up their office keys and shoot off to the beach for a long break over Christmas and early January. It’s our summer holiday as well as the festive period. It’s time to play. Time to sink the toes into the sand.

But then you have to get back to work after a really long break.

And everyone gets a touch of the back to work blues.

I’ve not been too bad at all this year. It helps that we’ve had the worst summer in decades. Somehow getting back to work sitting at a desk looking a rain isn’t as bad as looking at clear blue skies as the sun beats down and the cicadas chirrup.

Anyway, back to work blues…here are a few tips courtesy of the New Zealand Herald:

• Plan your next holiday.
• Have breaks throughout the year, not just the annual blowout from Christmas until mid January.
• Have some fun at work – the Rugby World Cup gave people the excuse to hang the flags out and decorate the office. It’s the Olympics this year. Get creative. Plan some fun with the team so back to work doesn’t mean back to the grindstone.
• Try to ease your way back to work. Don’t expect to be back at full speed on day one.
• Set some work goals that are achievable. Try one a month so it is evolution not revolution.

Interestingly, out of the ‘experts’ the Herald interviews, the HR manager said plan another holiday and the psychologist said that’s the worse thing you should do. This is why: “Part of the back to work blues is your job satisfaction. If you have a job that you enjoy and that you’re passionate about, that largely is going to take care of the initial blues. You’re much better to be focused on where you are right now.”

Personally, I always start the year full of optimism and with a list of resolutions. And it isn’t just about going back to work. It’s about my hobbies and my home-life. In fact I’m sat here typing next to jolly handy book about goal setting and life planning courtesy of time management guru Robyn Pearce. And the label maker that Father Christmas bought me has been used to transform my filing systems. Maybe that is why I never really get the back to work blues. Some of my friends really have to drag themselves back to work. I tend be up for the challenge and looking to improve life.

So rather than the back to work blues, I probably more of the back to work yellows and oranges in January. The colours of optimism and energy.

If you need a fresh start to marketing in 2012, drop me a line. Optimism and enthusiasm come free with clear thinking and good writing at co-writer.