Ah, vacation. You just got back from a week of complete relaxation, when the only thing on your to-do list was to not do a thing.
But now you’re back to reality and you have million tasks to do. You are struggling to remember the password to turn on the computer, trudge through your inbox and jump right back into your normal work routine. Stop for a moment and pat yourself on the back. The fact that you took break will likely to benefit both you and your company.
But don’t just walk back into the office after vacation without a plan of attack. Here are some tips for making a smooth and stress-free return.
1. Start to work earlier
On your first day back, do your best to start bit early to get a head start on catching up on what you’ve missed. This will also give you time to digest the fact you’re no longer on vacation.
2. Tidy up your workspace
Clean up your workspace. Chances are you’ll be greeted by piles of unopened mail, files and other office items sitting on your desk. Take care of these items as soon as possible. This will put you in a productive mindset and it eases the workload.
3. Sort through your emails
Before you get buried in a bunch of work, update your email accounts. Check and and clear out your mailbox. Delete the ones you don’t need, mark the ones you need to respond to later in the day and reply to urgent emails that need an immediate response.
4. Scan your calendar
You‘ve been away for a while, so you’ll probably need a little reminder as to what is going on with your work. Scan your calendar for next couple of days to get an idea of upcoming meetings, projects, due dates and other concerns. This will help you feel better organized.
5. Resume your routine
It can be hard to get back into the routine of things when you first return to work. You will probably have a million tasks to do. To make this easier, create a list of items that must get done on your first day back. Note them down and figure out which ones you should prioritize. After a day or so your natural work rhythm can fall back in the Groove.
6. Take it slow
If you can, don’t take on anything new for the first couple of days so you’re not putting too much on your plate. Spend time on regular job duties as well as catching up on what you’ve missed. The piles of paperwork and unanswered emails will keep you busy.
7. Stop your work on time
Whatever you do, resist the urge to catch up on a week’s worth of work in one day as it’s just not possible. Of course there’s going to be a lot to do, but you won’t be able to do it all in the first day! Make a point to stop on time.
8. Do something fun after work
Make one fun (but not too late) leisure-time plan for that evening, even it’s just watching your favourite TV show. Give yourself something to look forward to at the end of the day. Just relax and enjoy yourself – like on vacation. That way the benefits of vacation stay with you longer.
We know how tough it is to go from vacation mode to work mode! Let us know your favorite tricks for quickly bouncing back after summer holidays.
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PlanMill Ltd. is a leading provider of user-friendly web-based CRM, PROJECT and ERP Cloud solutions designed for the service business. We enable organizations to streamline business processes, improve control of their customers, personnel, projects and finance – while enhancing productivity and profitability.
Photo: Summer Vacation Vectors by Vecteezy