Feeling logy after lounging on sofas, eating all those holiday carbs, binge-watching old movies, and streaming series? Procrastinating getting back into your work zone? How do you get back that state of flow? How do you go from 0 to 60 mph in a day?

The answer is you can’t, nor should you try to, jumpstart your work energy so quickly. This is not a sprint; it’s a marathon. The trick to getting into a state of flow is to figure out where you are on the continuum of the stress response from 0 to 100 mph and then do those things that will get you back to the stress response’s most productive middle. I call it the middle of your stress-performance rainbow.

While on holiday, if you were lazing about on the couch, watching old movies, reading a book, feeling relaxed and half asleep much of the time, your stress response was at or close to 0 mph. That was a good thing, as we all need time to recharge, replenish those stress hormones, and store up energy for the challenges ahead.

But it’s pretty hard to go from total relaxation to full-on productivity the day after a holiday when you return to work. So, try baby steps. Think of the things that will energize you in small portions. Take a walk, and then gradually increase your exercise level. Maybe run, swim, or get on the treadmill. Gradually, incrementally increasing exercise will prime your stress response and move your energy away from 0 towards the middle of your stress........

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