In the aftermath of a general election attention shifts away from the day-to-day work of parliament towards the more contentious issue of results, political fallout and government formation. In many countries, this process can linger on for months, leaving parliament void of MPs but full of demotivated staff. In this paper, Paul Silk, former Secretary General of the Welsh National Assembly, succinctly presents his advice, guidance and experience to the senior staff of parliaments to assist them to make the most of the ‘election interlude’.