The new year is always a great excuse to start fresh and find motivation to improve yourself, not only in your personal life but also at work. While it’s tough to jump back to real life after a relaxing holiday break, here are four tips to tackle your first day back in the office like a boss.

1. Eat a good breakfast

If you’re anything like me, your morning routine usually involves hitting the snooze button five times, panicking to shower and dress within 10 minutes, and then speeding down the freeway to make it to work on time. On your first day back at work, start your day off on the right note – wake up at a decent hour, eat a full breakfast and allow yourself some time to recharge. You’ll be in a focused state of mind that will allow you to tackle any hurdle that comes your way that day.

In my experience, the way you start your first day will set the tone for the rest of the week, or even the next few weeks. Start strong in 2018 by having a good first morning back to work!

2. Clean out your inbox

Opening your email inbox to 1,253 unread messages can be overwhelming. Use your first few hours to review all messages to bring that “Unread Messages” count down to 0. Attend to any requests right away or flag emails that require more attention at a later time. A cluttered inbox will only keep you in a cluttered mindset.

3. Plan ahead for your year

After your inbox is cleared, you can begin with a clean slate and focus on planning for the year ahead. Depending on your industry, you may even need to plan one quarter at a time. What are your company and client goals for 2018? What projects are you doing to support those goals? Whether you’re in a management or support level, planning is essential for all team members. It sets a roadmap of the tasks you and your team need to complete. It will also keep you focused and hold you accountable for what you set for yourself to do over the course of the year.

4. Reach out to clients

Now that you have your goals and tasks set, it’s time to communicate with your clients and your team. Pick up the phone or shoot an email to touch base with them. Schedule a meeting two discuss your plans more in-depth. Early communication will get everyone on the same page and help everyone work together with the same vision in mind.

Coming back to the office on Jan. 2 is always a struggle. Returning with holiday hangover will only set you back and start your new year on a sour note. However, the new year is also an opportunity to start fresh and put yourself in a positive mindset that will help you accomplish your goals and achieve success throughout the year.