Good afternoon 👋
How are you doing today?
For a lot of people, myself included, today is where we head back to work after a short break over the festive season. We’re going to take a look at how you can return to work in a way that aligns your goals, your plans and the person you see yourself becoming in 2026.
Hello and Welcome to Sweeney’s Blogs!
Ah, the old return to work. Some people are ready for it, others, not so much. After a festive season that flew by faster than the Pigs in Blankets disappear on a Christmas Dinner plate (into my stomach, of course 😉), working mode is coming back into action again.
However, after you log on and see that your inbox is full to the brim, it can be easy to instantly get swept back into the craziness of life. Before that happens, and while you try to remind yourself (just like I will) what we do in our jobs, don’t waste this opportunity.
The start of a new year is a brilliant time for you to reflect on yourself, the last year and how your career/working life is going. This doesn’t mean that you have to make any drastic changes, but it’s about being intentional about your time and gaining more awareness of what you think about your current working environment, and if there are small, positive ways you can help change it.
With all of this in mind, here are a couple of questions to ask yourself this week:
🙏 Does the way I work reflect the person I want to be this year?
🙌 What does “doing good work” mean to you, other than solely your job title?
👀 What skills or habits do I want to strengthen this year, and why?
🤔 What’s one small change I could make that would have a big impact over time in my work?
😎 What’s within my control as I step back into work, and what isn’t?
⚡️ Which parts of your work motivate you, and which quietly drain you?
Be sure to have a little think about some of those questions. You don’t need answers to all of these today. Sometimes, asking the right question is enough for this moment in time – the answers will come in time.
It’s all about being intentional with our time and our mindsets surrounding our working lives. We are all capable of so much more than we even realise at first. Sometimes, it’s about taking the small, regular time to reflect and realign yourself, to ensure you’re living the life you are the proudest of living.
That’s all for today’s blog. What do you think? Are you heading back to work today? How was your festive break? How are you feeling about us being in January 2026?
I’d love to hear your thoughts ⤵️
Thanks for reading, and I hope you have a lovely day!
James
Sweeney's Blogs 