7 Simple Ways To Help Your Team Refocus After the Holidays

Key Takeaways

• Help your team ease back into focus with clear goals, flexible routines, and real connection.
• Protect consistency by sticking with tools and habits that make daily work feel simple.
• Prevent burnout early through rest, balance, and small wins that keep motivation steady.

The post-holiday slump is real. One minute, everyone’s swapping cookie recipes and OOO replies, and the next, you’re staring at a sea of unread emails, half-finished projects, and a team that’s mentally still in pajama mode. 

“January hits hard, not because people don’t care, but because going from cozy chaos to KPIs overnight can be a shock to the system,” highlights Titania Jordan, CMO of Bark Technologies, a company known for its smart watch for kids with built-in safety features, the Bark Watch. 

Instead of cracking the whip, help your team reset their focus gently, strategically, and with a little humanity. Here are seven simple ways to get everyone back on track without killing that holiday glow.

1. Start With a Reentry Meeting, Not a Recap

The first day back isn’t the time for 40-slide decks or status updates that make people wish they didn’t have to sit through a “while-you-were-out” download. What your team needs is direction. A short, energizing reentry meeting helps everyone shake off vacation brain and get back to what matters.

“After a break, people need clarity before they need deadlines,” says Tyler Zanini, Founder of Memoryboard, a company that offers a dementiareminder board. “If you don’t reorient them first, you’ll lose a week to confusion.”

Keep the meeting under 30 minutes. Open with a few quick wins from last quarter to build momentum, then set three clear priorities for the next two weeks. End with a single collective goal like, “By Friday, let’s have all campaigns scheduled.” Focus less on the backlog and more on what moves things forward.

2. Reset Priorities, Don’t Add More

Many workers feel overwhelmed by competing priorities at the start of a new year. It’s a classic January trap: Everyone’s excited, but no one’s aligned. Before your team jumps into new projects, take a breath and decide what actually deserves your attention.

“Teams think motivation comes from doing more,” adds Justin Soleimani, Co-Founder of Tumble, a company that specializes in washable rugs. “It really comes from knowing what deserves your attention first.”

Run a quick “Start / Pause / Keep” session. Ask: What’s worth leaning into, what can wait, and what’s already working fine? Capture the trimmed list in Slack or Notion so everyone knows the focus. When people can see what not to do, they finally have space to do great work.

3. Bring Back Structure (but Make It Flexible)

After a week of late mornings and half-open laptops, everyone needs a little routine to get back on track. The goal isn’t to flip a switch to full productivity overnight but to rebuild momentum in a way that sticks.

“Coming back from time off is like easing into a workout,” highlights Erin Banta, Co-Founder and CEO of Pepper Home, a company known for its custom throw pillow collection. “If you push too hard too fast, people burn out before they find their pace.”

Bring back the basics: short check-ins, a few calendar blocks for focus time, and space for people to get their bearings. Keep meetings light, skip the rigid schedules, and let flexible start times help ease the shift back. The easier the routine feels, the faster the team finds its flow again.

4. Rebuild Team Energy Together

When was the last time your team actually felt excited to work together? That spark usually fades during long breaks, but it doesn’t take much to bring it back. People reconnect through moments that feel genuine and fun.

“Successful businesses are built on their organizational cultures, which foster employee engagement, innovation, and, eventually, financial performance,” points out Dr. Akin Akinpelu, CEO of Akin Akinpelu Learning & Development Company.

Kick off the week with something that feels like the company at its best. Host a coffee hour, a themed breakfast, or a quick team trivia on Zoom. Play your office playlist, share one win from last year, and one thing to look forward to. The point isn’t productivity but team spirit. When people reconnect with the mission and each other, motivation begins to return on its own.

5. Revisit Habits That Work

January has a way of making everyone want to reinvent everything, from new tools and systems to all-new goals. But sometimes, the best move is to double down on what already helps your team do good work. Switching platforms or overhauling workflows too often kills consistency.

“Teams waste a lot of time fixing things that aren’t broken,” adds Mathe Mosny, CEO of Kismet Pets, a company that specializes in high protein dog food. “You don’t need the newest tool to work smarter. You just need to use the right ones well.”

Stick with systems that people like and use daily. If Slack threads get messy, try adding simple channel rules before jumping to a new app. If your project tracker works, lean into it with clearer templates or automations. The idea is to make everyday tools easier, faster, and second nature.

6. Lead Like You’re Actually Human

Your team will match whatever pace you set. If you come in frantically, they’ll follow suit. If you look steady and intentional, that calmness spreads. Transparency builds trust faster than a perfectly polished kick-off speech.

“Teams read your tone before they hear your words,” says Brianna Bitton, Co-Founder of O Positiv, a company that offers URO Probiotics. “People need a leader who looks grounded when things feel chaotic.”

Share how you’re getting back into the swing of things yourself, whether that’s blocking deep work time, catching up on priorities, or saying no to one meeting a day. When leaders model balance and boundaries, it gives everyone permission to do the same without guilt.

7. End the Week With Wins, Not Worry

The first week back always feels heavier than it should. Instead of closing it with what didn’t get done, call out what did. Recognition refuels motivation better than another to-do list ever could.

“People remember how the week ended more than how it started,” highlights Shaunak Amin, CEO and Co-Founder of Stadium, a company known for its employee recognition program. “If they finish on a win, they’ll come back sharper on Monday.”

Wrap up Friday with a 10-minute huddle or Slack thread for small shout-outs. Highlight one project that moved forward, one person who helped the team, and one thing you’re all excited to tackle next. It reminds everyone that progress is happening, and that’s how momentum sticks.

How To Keep the Focus Without Burning Out

You’ve helped your team find their footing again, and now it’s about helping them keep it without running themselves into the ground. January hype fades fast, and that’s when overworking tends to creep back in. The goal is to build habits that keep everyone steady, sharp, and sane all quarter long.

Normalize Real Rest

Sure, your team’s back in the groove, but staying focused long-term takes more than deadlines and caffeine. If you want consistent performance, you have to make recovery part of the rhythm, not a reward for exhaustion.

“When we choose work over sleep, what we are really doing is choosing quantity over quality,” explains Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Chief Innovation Officer at ManpowerGroup. “If you want to be the best version of yourself — at work, at school, and at home — it would be wise to take advantage of what a good night’s rest can offer: sharper focus, higher alertness, better endurance, and a more positive mood and mindset.”

Promoting a good night’s sleep is just the starting point. Encourage people to slow down during the workday. Block short “off-screen” windows each week with no Slack or meetings, and make Fridays meeting-free or swap a check-in for a walk-and-talk. When recovery is built into how you work, focus and follow-through start to feel natural again.

Watch for Signs of Burnout

A lot of managers expect their team to come back from the holidays bright-eyed and ready to crush it, but that’s not always how it goes. 

“Burnout doesn’t disappear after time off. Sometimes, it hits harder once people stop running on adrenaline,” adds Daley Meistrell, Head of Ecommerce at Dose, a company known for its Dose for Your Liver® supplement. “The exhaustion that got pushed aside before the break finally catches up, and it shows up as fogginess, low motivation, or a lack of creativity.”

Instead of assuming everyone’s fine, check in with intention. Ask what feels overwhelming or unclear. Look for small shifts in behavior, such as someone turning their camera off more often, missing deadlines they’d usually crush, or pulling away from group chats. The fix includes lightening the load, realigning expectations, and giving them room to reset before it turns into full-blown fatigue.

Make Time Feel Manageable Again

One of the biggest post-holiday stressors is time itself; calendars fill up fast, and suddenly, every task feels urgent. When people feel like they’re always racing, focus goes out the window. Helping your team manage time better is about giving them breathing room to think clearly.

“People do their best work when they have a little bit of space to catch up, reflect, and reset,” highlights Emily Greenfield, Director of Ecommerce at Mac Duggal, a company known for its formal wedding guest dresses. “Without it, everything starts to feel like an emergency.”

Audit your team’s calendar together. Cut recurring meetings that no longer serve a purpose. Build in 10-minute buffers between calls so people can regroup. Protect a few hours each week for “deep work” that actually moves the needle. A manageable schedule does more for focus than any productivity tool ever could.

Ready To Hit Refresh for Real?

And there you have it: simple tips to help your team find their focus again and keep it steady. Getting back into work mode takes patience, clear direction, and a little humanity.

“High-performing teams don’t just work smarter. They recover smarter,” says Hunter Bailey, CEO of Impact Dog Crates, a company that specializes in dog kennels. “You can’t sustain motivation without moments of rest and recognition.”

Keep things real: Celebrate small wins, protect time to recharge, and lead with balance. When people feel supported and grounded, they’ll bring their best to the table, not because they have to, but because they genuinely want to.