If you’re heading back to work today, or just starting to think about it, you’re not alone.

For Monday, January 5, here’s a simple reset-week checklist for Coasties, built around one idea: take the load off your brain first, then build momentum again.

Start by protecting your energy and choosing two or three meaningful wins for the week, rather than trying to catch up on everything.

Keep day one lighter if you can, clear emails, scan your calendar, and reconnect with key people before you dive into heavy work.

Write a short list for this week only and cap it at five to eight items, then park everything else in a “later in January” list so it stops circling in your head.

If a big project is staring you down, break it into the smallest next action you can finish in 15 to 30 minutes, early ticks help you get moving.

If you lead a team, a quick reset chat helps too, set the Q1 focus, check bandwidth, and name the post-holiday dip so people feel supported, not judged.

Most of us feel it, the shift from holiday mode to backlog is a real load, so build in a walk or light exercise and protect sleep.

Try one low-stakes catch-up as well.

Pop in for a coffee or a quick lunch and get a feel for the week.

If you’re still on leave, this can be your gentle pre-start plan.

Lock in your next break now, then take 30 to 60 minutes to sketch what “a great 2026 at work” looks like, and pick one admin task you can simplify with a template, checklist, or repeating calendar block.

However your January is starting, go gently, start small, and let the rhythm come back.

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