OVERCOMING POST VACATION
Although holidays are an exciting and joyful time for many, it is not unusual for people to get post holiday blues when they get back from a holiday. It can trigger symptoms of depression and anxiety for many in different degrees due to the uncertainties or their anticipations that they left behind not sorted at work or in their life
Following are a few tips to get back into the mood for work
Stay in Transit for a day- It will be beneficial if you take a “day off “ or stay in transit mode for a day when you get back from your holidays. This can help to ease the transition of the post holiday blues and also help in gathering your energy, thoughts and schedule together to resume work
Re-Organize your workspace- re arrange your desk or the position of the furniture in your room, have some flowers or photos of friends and family on your desk. Set a favorite picture of your recent holiday as your screen saver.
Reevaluate your personal growth- Do you have any skills that you would like to develop further? Enroll in a certificate/ continuing education course.
Set Goals- that are specific, observable, achievable within a time frame, broken down into small steps and that they are compatible with long term goals, reevaluated at specific intervals and rewarded when achieved
Conduct a realistic appraisal of your job- Evaluate if you feel passionate about your work and if it is challenging you? Request for a job review from your manager. Be assertive and request for support if you need to fulfill your responsibilities, Discuss areas of work you need guidance, support and adequate direction.
Pace and balance yourself– Take mini breaks (5-10 minutes) through your work day. This can be refreshing and can help you focus on your job better. These breaks most often times can aid in increasing mental alertness and productivity and help to eliminate tension and stress.
Get organized– Get up earlier so you don’t have to rush; set aside time for processing email; break large projects into smaller achievable tasks.
After work activities– Enroll in sporting or social activities with friends and family so you have something to look forward to in the evenings or at weekends.
Nourish your well being- get more sleep, take part in regular exercise and eat nutritious meals these changes will help you to think more clearly and feel less stressed and more relaxed.
While it’s not unusual to feel blue when you first get back to work, it’s not usual for this feeling to continue. If you do continue to feel this way for more than two weeks and you constantly feel down and tearful for no apparent reason, please speak to someone you trust or see a Psychologist at Lifeworks Holistic Counseling Centre for help.
If you would like to talk, feel free to reach out to us. An LifeWorks therapist would be able to help.
Dr. Naeema Ali trained psychology and social worker students of UAE University. She is actively providing counselling support to cancer patients and their families. She launched an occupational therapy for cancer patients and cognitive behavioural therapy in Tawam.
Due to her continued support in oncology and ongoing support to cancer patients, Naeema received countless awards locally and international to recognize her achievements and skills. She has been invited to participate in various conferences and workshops around the world and invited as a guest speaker in various subjects that covers psychology.
She also joined Al Sayegh Medical Center as a Social Worker, providing comprehensive assessment and treatment services to children and families, in inpatient and/or outpatient settings, and communicates with referral sources as indicated by applying psychometric test, such as IQ Test, MMPI, Wechsler Test for children. Exhibit superior communication skills to uncover complicated mental health issues; develop and recommend treatment plans based on patient needs and diagnosis.
She continued working as a clinical psychologist providing counselling within the multi-cultural environment of the Emirates Airlines for the past 15 years. Her main task is providing mental health support to inflight and ground staff and addresses any problems, anxieties, or job-related stresses that they are dealing with. She uses her findings to help improve processes and behaviors of a patient to maintain a safe environment, to manage stress, overcome trauma, or avoid job-related conflicts. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is the method Naeema is using to reduce the difficulties, anxieties, and stress that employee faces.
Naeema is also part of “ Shawer ”, the “Seek Our Advice”, and “We Listen To You” program of the Family Development Foundation of Abu Dhabi. The aim of the program was to promote family awareness and support a stable family life. It involves a group of community members who deal with family problems in a positive manner and provide individual and group counseling in social, psychological, and educational areas. They do so in a systematic way according to the needs of community members.
Besides “ Shawer ”, Naeema is also a volunteer of “ Friends of Cancer ” of Sharjah, supporting patients and their families to overcome the multitude psychological difficulties that they are experiencing due to cancer treatment as well as introducing some programs such as health education, self-care and some community programs wherein they can collaborate and share their experiences.
Area of interest:
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Psycho-oncology
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CBT
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Psychometric Assessments
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Children, Adults and Family therapy
Qualification and Membership:
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Psychology graduation from the University of Wisconsin
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Licensed by Community Development Authority
Dr. Mohammed Bardi M.B.B.S, M.D (Psychiatry) has worked under different capacities in clinical and hospital setups in Saudi, USA, and UAE. He comes with over 15 years of experience in mental health. He specifically worked with cases relating to schizophrenic, bipolar disorder, dual diagnosis, major depressive disorder with suicidal risks, anxiety disorders, Intellectual disabilities, Autistic spectrum disorders and attention deficit hyperactivity disorders (ADHD).
Area of interest:
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Mood disorders
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Anxiety disorders
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Improving life skills (social skills, self- esteem, decision making, coping with stress, problem solving, and time management)
Qualification and Membership:
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MBBS COLLEAGUE OF MEDICINE, KING SAUD UNIVERSITY 2003 (KKU).
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ARAB BOARD OF MEDICAL SPECIALTIES IN PSYCHIATRY 2007
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ANXIETY DISORDERS WORKSHOP (DIPLOMA), 2010
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ADDICTION FELLOWSHIP UCLA, USA, 2010-2011
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ADDICTION RESEARCH AND MATRIX TRAINING, ISAP, UCLA, LOS ANGELES, CA, USA 2014-2015
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BACHELOR’S DEGREE OF MEDICINE AND SURGERY
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ARAB BOARD OF MEDICAL SPECIALTIES IN PSYCHIATRY
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ADDICTION FELLOWSHIP UCLA 2011, 2015
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BETTY FORD CERTIFICATE, ADDICTION PROGRAM 2010
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CDA) Licensed Psychologist
Therapeutic Approach:
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At LifeWorks Holistic Counselling Center Dubai, Dr. Bardi works collaboratively within our expert multidisciplinary team, in treating a wide array of psychiatric conditions including:
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Anxiety disorders
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Substance use disorders
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Mood disorders including depression and Bipolar affective disorders
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Psychotic disorders (Schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders)
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Personality disorders
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Cognitive disorders including Dementia
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Learning disabilities (intellectual disability disorders)
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Child and adolescents’ disorders like Separation anxiety disorders, conduct
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disorders and ADHD