5 Ways to Get Back on Track at Work After Vacation

We all love vacation. Taking time away from work, enjoying the company of our friends and loved ones, enjoying the local cuisine and bar scene maybe a little too much and for the lucky ones, getting a little too much sun. The key ingredient to a good vacation is relaxing and refreshing. Don’t ruin all your stress-free vibes by stressing yourself out that first week, or even the first day back! Here are 5 ways to get back on track after a vacation without stressing yourself out.

Set your expectations

Don’t come back expecting to tackle everything on the first day. Set your expectations to be realistic otherwise, you’ll just overwhelm and stress yourself out. You have enough on your plate that you don’t need to add unneeded stress.

Make a to-do list that

Start with a list of everything you can think of that you need to get done, then prioritize that list by what is the most important. Next, break that list into daily tasks that are actually achievable. I love using my planner to write out everything I need to get done. Remember if you don’t accomplish everything that first day, you can push it to the next, that is why you put the most important first. If you do finish your list, you can pull in tasks from the next day.

Know Your Email List

This may sound odd but know your email list. When I look at my emails, I have it set so that my unread emails are at the top and I have a folder for pretty much anything. When you look at your unread emails, you should know who the emails are from and the subject of the email. From that, you should be able to determine the urgency of most the emails and which you can just trash without opening. Knowing which are the most important allows you to break down which emails you need to tackle that day and which you can push off to the bottom of your priority list.

Plan out as much of your week as you can

Take the extra time to over plan your week. This can include being a little extra productive before bed. Doing this will allow you to worry less during the week when you are overtired and overwhelmed. Plan our your meals, especially lunches. This will take one less thing off your plate, allowing you to focus on more important things and spend a few extra minutes in bed. Plan out your outfits at the beginning of the week or at least before you go to bed. By planning out as much of your week that you can, you’re taking the thought and stress out of every decision and allowing yourself to focus on more important things.

Don’t forget to enjoy it as you go

Coming back from vacation can be stressful, but don’t forget to enjoy what you are doing. There is a reason you like your job, remember what that is and don’t let the stress ruin it. You were just on vacation, don’t work yourself so much that you need another one just for the catch-up. Oh, and don’t forget to relax a little after work (maybe watch some Netflix and enjoy yourself).

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How do you get back on track after work?