By Sarah-Jayne Shine

January - The Monday of the months

By Sarah-Jayne Shine

January - The Monday of the months

We’re picking up where we left off and feeling positive about the year ahead.

January can feel like the Monday of months, feel a bit unmotivated, slow to warm to the year ahead, hard to get into the groove, still in holiday mode etc. If this is you as well we have some tips to get you started in 2024, scroll down.

Roadies

Castlepoint, Wairarapa - view from path

Personally, I spent some quality time over the holidays with the Lemonface kid(s). The start of summer has brought a mixture of road trips, house renovations (the joy of choosing the perfect colour for a feature wall is highly recommended) and general exploration of roads I know, and some I don’t. The Wairarapa was magic, we visited Castlepoint, Carterton, Greytown and Masterton. I’m not done yet though so I’m issuing a call to arms by requesting any locations that you love, that you’d think I’d love too. I’d be super keen to compile a list of hidden gems. Send ‘em in so I can share them in the next newsletter. Being able to take off on a whim is one of the joys of being self-employed and I'm super grateful to be able to do so... but only when my workload allows. Obvs.

 

Lavender Abbey, Carterton, Wairarapa

I had a bit of fun with my friend who was visiting from Melbourne over Christmas. What started off as a random bit of Pinteresting for things to do that we would both enjoy, became a 'ghost shoot'. I haven't laughed so much in ages! I recommend doing something silly like this every now and again, if you want to have a crack at it, let me know, I'd be more than happy to come along for the ride and snap the sillyness!

 

Ghosts at a bus shelter, Horowhenua

What's IN and what's OUT in 2024

Instead of my usual self reflection, this month I'm looking at the year as a whole, what do I want to do more of? What can bugger off? Have you done one of these for 2024?

IN

  • More photography - getting out and about more

  • Getting organised

  • Networks - meet new people, build relationships

  • More creative direction on projects

  • Collaborations, collaborations, collaborations! I LOVE working within a team environment

  • Learning new skills

OUT

  • Procrastination

  • Half-arsed goals

  • Posting for the sake of posting on socials

  • Messy calenders

  • The home office in the lounge (BYE)

  • Filling days with 'busy' not productive

  • DIY (I've done my quota already)

Tips for getting back into work after a holiday

The feeling of waking up without an alarm clock may feel like distant memories now many of us have returned to work after the holidays. Also known as ‘holiday blues’, post-holiday syndrome is a low mood that appears after a period of intense emotions or stress. Some of the main symptoms of post-holiday disorder are insomnia, low energy, short temper, lack of concentration and anxiousness. Post-holiday syndrome can be described as the result of a sudden release of stress hormones after an important event, such as moving house, getting married or returning to work after an extended holiday.

A survey showed 87% of staff being apprehensive when returning to work. Here are some of the top reasons that explain these results:
  • Getting back to the routine... 37%
  • Catching up with backlogged work...31%
  • A busy environment... 27%
  • The volume of unread emails... 26%
These figures may seem overwhelming; however, post-holiday blues can be prevented by implementing some specific tips:

  1. Organise yourself

  2. Plan some easy first days

  3. Sort your inbox

  4. Catch up with colleagues

  5. Sustain your recharged energy

  6. Research your industry

Boo update

Bearded Dragon leashed on a lawn

Here's your first pic of Boo for 2024. She's been enjoying strawberries, sunshine and chasing bees in the garden. This photo was taken just before she managed to eat one, causing some distress (me not her) about whether or not that was a good idea. She's still not a fan of the leash.

Catch you next month!