Our Daily Stylus ~ How to manage Lent in the Philippines Without Getting Buried in Backlogs After the Break

Lent in the Philippines: Why It’s a Whole Thing

We take Holy Week seriously in the PH. According to the 2020 Philippine Statistics Authority census, 78.8% of the population is Roman Catholic. That means nationwide, most Filipinos slow down, unplug, and maybe even switch from coffee to calamansi juice for those early morning Visita Iglesia runs. 🛐

Government offices and private companies usually shut down from Thursday to Sunday. Some even sneak in a half-day Wednesday (blessings on blessings). No emails. No meetings. Just peace, prayer, and probably a family reunion in Batangas. But this calm before the storm has a price…

📉 The Comeback Lag: It's Not Just You

Coming back to work after a long break feels like dragging yourself out of a 3-hour Sunday nap. Here's the tea:

• A study on productivity in the Philippines showed that only 48% of employees feel productive at the start of the week—and that's without a long holiday in the mix.

• Add in the Lent break and suddenly you’ve got an overflowing inbox, piled-up tasks, and a team chat that’s spamming “Any updates po?” like it’s their full-time job.

Worse? The unspoken Filipino tradition—the "pa-sick leave" after a long weekend. 😷 Don’t pretend like you haven’t heard this before:

“Uy, si Mark? Absent. May trangkaso daw. Pero may nakita akong IG story na nasa La Union siya kahapon…” 🌊👀

In fact, Gen Z is leading a global rise in post-holiday sick leaves:

• Sick leaves among Gen Z rose 55% in 2023 vs 2019.

• Gen Z workers take about 14.3 sick days/year, compared to 7.9 days for Boomers.

It's giving: "I need a vacation from my vacation."

🧠 5 Real Tips to Keep You From Drowning in Work After the Break

Okay, let’s get down to business. Here's how you can actually rest during Holy Week without returning to chaos:

1. ✍️ Pre-Break Planning is a Power Move

Two words: preparation station. Before you even touch that beach towel, outline your top tasks for the week after. Trust me, future you will thank you.

2. 📤 Use the Auto-Reply Wisely

Set up your email to manage expectations. Something like:

“Hey! I’m currently observing Holy Week and will be back on [insert date]. I’ll get back to you as soon as I can!”

Make it ✨professional but peaceful✨.

3. 📆 Do a “Light Check-In” Before Sunday Ends

We’re not saying grind during your break. But maybe spend 30 mins on Easter Sunday night scanning your calendar and making a “back-to-work” game plan. Like Sunday scaries, but productive. 💼

4. ⛔ Say No to Meeting Bombs on Monday

Block off Monday morning for solo work. Tell your team: “Hey, just catching up on post-break backlog—can we meet after lunch instead?”
Boundaries = 🔑

5. ☕ Ease Back In, Don’t Spiral

Start with small, easy wins. Clear emails. Prioritize. Don’t try to finish the entire week’s worth of work in one day. You’re not our Savior, bestie—you can resurrect your workflow slowly. 😉

🏖️ Lent is Sacred—But So Is Your Sanity

Enjoying Holy Week doesn’t mean you have to suffer later. With a little foresight and smart scheduling, you can return to work post-Lent like a boss. No backlogs. No burnout. No fake ubo’t sipon. 😅

So go ahead, observe lent or enjoy the beach, the family meals, and the spiritual reset. Then return to your desk like the ✨icon✨ you are.

🗓️ TL;DR Checklist: Pre-Lent To-Do’s

• Wrap urgent work by Holy Wednesday

• Set your OOO auto-reply

• Do a Friday wrap-up + Monday morning plan

• Block Monday AM for solo work

• Don’t fake sick. Seriously. 😅

✨ Now go and enjoy your holy long weekend with a holy hustle plan! ✨

And if you're reading this while procrastinating... go finish that task muna 😌