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Open thread: How are you coping with the first day back to work?

Just a couple more hours and you’re home free…

IT’S THE FIRST Monday of January and the first day back to work after Christmas for many.

It’s past 3pm, so you are most likely hitting that mid-afternoon slump, where time is dragging on and your contemplating a fourth cup of coffee.

You can’t help but think that this time last week, you were sitting in your pyjamas probably watching Raiders of the Lost Ark or Back to the Future II.

You’ve had Monday blues before, but this is tough. So tough that some of you have taken to Twitter to vent under #backtowork, which is trending in Ireland.

So, we want to know how you are getting on today. How are you coping with the first day back at work.

Any tips on getting through the last couple of hours? Do you plan to crawl straight back into bed when you get home or does your New Year healthy living resolution start in the gym after work.

Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Read: The 10 horrific stages of being ‘back to work’>

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30 Comments
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    Mute Anthony Curran
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    Jul 3rd 2025, 9:20 AM

    Maybe she saw a preview of Doctors Under Attack, which aired last night on Channel 4 after the BBC refused to show it. The majority of the British media are more upset by a performance at Glastonbury than by footage of decapitated Palestinian children. The IDF are modern day Nazis. We must all say enough. 20,000 children are not a statistic. They are beautiful children. They are somebody’s world ❤

    258
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    Mute thomas molloy
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    Jul 3rd 2025, 10:06 AM

    @Anthony Curran:
    1,000;000 children and 2,000,000 women in Isreal living under the threat/promise of continuous 7th Octobers slaughtering. Muslims are permitted by Koran to surrender to save civilians. Next move, Hamas.

    41
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    Mute John Brennan
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    Jul 3rd 2025, 10:21 AM

    @thomas molloy: Don’t worry, your heroes have killed the 20,000 babies responsible for the craturs ongoing anxiety.

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    Mute barry williams
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    Jul 3rd 2025, 10:28 AM

    @thomas molloy: you have just proved Anthony’s point. People like you think all this started on Oct 7th. the Palestinians have had many Oct 7ths for decades and the world kept quiet. Its one of the main reasons Oct 7th happened

    90
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    Mute Nick Gall
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    Jul 3rd 2025, 10:38 AM

    @Anthony Curran: Maybe the British media are not as easily hoodwinked. Unlike their sycophantic terrorist following Irish counterparts.

    22
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    Mute p gert
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    Jul 3rd 2025, 11:25 AM

    @Nick Gall: Nasty.

    36
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    Mute Jb Walshe
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    Jul 3rd 2025, 11:46 AM

    @thomas molloy: a sad little person you are.

    41
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    Mute thomas molloy
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    Jul 3rd 2025, 12:02 PM

    @John Brennan: It’s war, Palestine Hamas miscalculated that by using western Christian softness compassion they could hide behind their fellow women and children and Jewish hostages and they were safe. Muslims have indisputably got fixed beliefs(1600 years) and they have a smaller neighbour also with fixed beliefs(6000 years). Waiting and hoping that either side will loose their beliefs soon is unrealistic. That’s not my fault. Neither side see things with a “Christian” mindset.

    16
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    Mute Anthony Curran
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    Jul 3rd 2025, 12:34 PM

    @Nick Gall: Hoodwinked? They’re bought shills. My eyes don’t lie.

    24
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    Mute Anthony Curran
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    Jul 3rd 2025, 12:38 PM

    @thomas molloy: No normal society murders 20,000 beautiful, loved children because some bad guys carried out 1 terrorist attack. Israel is a sick, psychopathic society. They sing songs about slaughtering kids. They rape prisoners. They drop 500lb bombs on cafés. They’re genocidal maniacs. And so are those who support them whilst they watch and cheer on their crimes against humanity.

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    Mute thomas molloy
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    Jul 3rd 2025, 1:42 PM

    @Anthony Curran: Observing and describing what is unfolding is not supporting. Every death is a tragedy. You must see that using their own women and children as martyr shields is wrong. It is a calculation on Christian sympathy that emboldens non Christian terrorists and is resulting in these deaths. It’s how terrorists work.

    13
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    Mute Val O'Connell
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    Jul 3rd 2025, 3:07 PM

    @thomas molloy: “1,000;000 children and 2,000,000 women in Isreal living under the threat/promise of continuous 7th Octobers slaughtering.”

    Total rubbish. Hamas are a mess . IDF are all over it . There is no evidence that Israel is at imminent threat. I a few years time they might face revenge attacks but they will have brought it upon themselves

    Just like the Iran lark, never at real risk due to distance and better military gear and allies

    13
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    Mute Val O'Connell
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    Jul 3rd 2025, 3:09 PM

    @p gert: Sod that, he’s deluded . Nothing wrong with being nasty if one is correct and have evidence to back it up. This chump has none. Attack what he said and stop acting like a girly boy. So what if he is nasty . It is worse that he is wrong and a liar

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    Mute Social Guy
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    Jul 3rd 2025, 11:21 PM

    @thomas molloy: nonsense. It’s the illegal israeli regime which is illegally occupying Palestine and attacking other countries. The israeli terrorists wouldn’t be “living in fear” if they could behave like decent humans. Religion is irrelevant to human rights & why should the Muslim population surrender to the jewish occupiers?

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    Mute John McEvoy
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    Jul 3rd 2025, 8:11 AM

    Sorry to see that but if she was bullied over something that’s unacceptable. But what I will say is there wasn’t any tears from her for the people who will be under pressure due to the he Kendall and Starmer’s inflicted on the disabled in the UK.

    104
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    Mute Darius Guppy
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    Jul 3rd 2025, 8:19 AM

    @John McEvoy: but there are undeserving people receiving the benefit too. Over 10% of working age adults claim to be disabled there, not an issue for you? Perhaps the genuine should be given more and the chancers should be given nothing, no?

    88
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    Mute Mr “JonnieBoy” Johnson
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    Jul 3rd 2025, 8:24 AM

    @Darius Guppy: Drug users claim Disability benefit through claiming psychological or physical impairment. That’s the reason it’s at 10%

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    Mute Social Guy
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    Jul 3rd 2025, 11:47 PM

    @John McEvoy: she’s insisted that it was a “personal matter” so either she wasn’t bullied or can’t be trusted to stand up and tell the truth. As for tears for those affected by “labour” policies – the current iteration of labour is closer to Thatcher’s Tories than any real Labour.

    1
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    Mute jn
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    Jul 3rd 2025, 8:29 AM

    the empire is coming home roost,fffg could learn a big lesson here locals first

    72
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    Mute Jimmy
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    Jul 3rd 2025, 8:33 AM

    @jn: racism AND xenophobia all in one short comment – congratulations!

    58
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    Mute Mick Joe
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    Jul 3rd 2025, 8:37 AM

    @Jimmy: Jimmy, I don’t think you understand the difference between the two.

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    Mute Seosamh Ohuaine
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    Jul 3rd 2025, 8:51 AM

    @Jimmy: Nothing racist said at all. People like you shouting racist at every opportunity is the problem. It should be irish first in Ireland. I’d expect locals put before me in a different country.

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    Mute Jimmy
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    Jul 3rd 2025, 9:07 AM

    @Mick Joe: I absolutely do. The xenophobia is in relation to your hatred of the UK. The racism is your comment on “locals”. You’re welcome!

    14
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    Mute Brian Hunt
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    Jul 3rd 2025, 10:14 AM

    @Jimmy: If xenophobia is a mental aberration, is xenophilia not one also?

    9
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    Mute CP
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    Jul 4th 2025, 12:17 AM

    @Brian Hunt: skiddlydiddlybopp

    1
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    Mute James King
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    Jul 3rd 2025, 8:45 AM

    Brexit was such a great idea wasn’t it.

    57
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    Mute Sickof thisshit
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    Jul 3rd 2025, 10:06 AM

    Wake up. It’s the benefits that make people risk lives traveling from France..
    You need a earned system of benefits to protect the system from collapse.

    39
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    Mute Padraig O'Brien
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    Jul 3rd 2025, 11:16 AM

    I worked in anti fraud in the UK for a number of years.
    A few facts.
    The population of the UK is approximately 70 k. The number of “live” National Insurance Numbers is 300 million +
    The working population is approx 27 million the non working population is also approx 27 million.
    The benefits system is so rigged that there is no in-between- you either work or you don’t.
    There is massive organised fraud in the system but it is committed by big players and not by individuals. This is because payments of many benefits are made directly to service providers rather than to the individuals who claim them.
    Individuals are seldom in a position to commit serious fraud whereas landlords etc. are and the rewards can be staggering.
    As in this country benefit recipients are often exploited as a source of cheap labour by “businesses”

    39
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    Mute Dominic Leleu
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    Jul 3rd 2025, 8:49 AM

    then leave !!?

    15
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    Mute Fran Ken
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    Jul 3rd 2025, 9:25 AM

    There are now more disabled people in UK than in Gaza. So many they can scare Labour MP’ with slim majorities. Why so many. Is there a war going on there?

    14
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    Mute thomas molloy
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    Jul 3rd 2025, 12:07 PM

    @Fran Ken: We have this same moral war in Ireland. Irish media are on eggshells scared to touch it with the chancers epidemic expanding.

    22
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    Mute Jack Dermody
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    Jul 3rd 2025, 10:41 AM

    This Labour government performs poorly… They are not as bad as Reform who would put UK back a couple of Decades…

    Labour have some quick wins…

    First, UK people voted to leave EU 9 years ago… They regret that, so just join the EEA.. UK people said nothing about being a member of Customs Union, Free Trade… STOP the Brexiteers defining that vote, Brexit means Brexit and UK left EU..

    Stop doing stupid stuff like commenting on Kneecap/Vylan/BBC… The answer is simple, I might disagree with what these people said but I defend there right to say it and I will not censor the BBC. If you want this type of government I suggest you move to a different country.
    Finally, stop picking on poor people to pay for the mess caused byt an horrendous Tory government. Speak plainly to the UK people on where you are and show what you are going to try to do to get out of it… Firmly blame the Brexiteers for it, it is their fault.

    15
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    Mute Laois Weather
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    Jul 3rd 2025, 11:24 AM

    @Jack Dermody: Reform are going to be the next UK Government. Labour and Conservatives have betrayed the British Public. The British Public have had enough of lies for the last five decades. The public have been patient but now have called time on the lies and deceit.

    14
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    Mute p gert
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    Jul 3rd 2025, 11:28 AM

    @Laois Weather: Like they won’t get lies and deceit from reform. Farage is a lazy B, he’ll never be prime minister. He never actually did anything but snipe from the sidelines.

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    Mute FoxyBoiiYT
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    Jul 3rd 2025, 3:18 PM

    @Laois Weather: Brexit has been a disaster so you’re solution is to vote for the guy who pushed it thr hardest? Bizarre logic, reward Faranges incompetence and xenophobia

    7
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    Mute Nick Gall
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    Jul 3rd 2025, 10:39 AM

    Our Nigel is waiting in the wings.

    11
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    Mute Hotirish
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    Jul 3rd 2025, 1:08 PM

    Ridiculous that the banks and market would have such an overreaction ffs

    11
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    Mute Val O'Connell
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    Jul 3rd 2025, 3:04 PM

    This is why politics if for men.

    Have your cry or rage exposition, just do not do it in public and worse, in the chambers. Bringing shame to the Chamber . This weak conduct is unbecoming

    7
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    Mute brian pope
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    Jul 3rd 2025, 8:44 PM

    There is an increasingly unhinged Trump and USA holding control over Trident targeting, and USA is unlikely to fulfil NATO article 5.

    All existing spending on Trident deterrent is now worthless, a black hole money pit.

    Combine that with the recent illegal under International Law support of genocide by Israel, and it is not hard to see where Britain is hemorrhaging spending uselessly.

    Britain is clinging desperately to delusions of former Empire, when it ought to be sorting its own house first.

    1
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