For those of you that do not work on vacation, (answer email, take phone calls, work from your laptop) it can be a tough transition once you are back home.
Getting back into the swing of work can feel like:
I do not know where to start
I do not remember my priorities
I do not feel like working
To jump start your 1st day back at work a little prior planning can alleviate the inability to start work.
Create a ‘to do’ list and place it on your desk, in priority order before leaving. If you forgot to make that list, use your phone to set deadlines and priorities for when you return. You can do this while traveling to your destination.
Allow yourself some grace if you did neither…make the list when you are back 1st thing in the morning. If the list does not jump start your work pattern, get up and take a quick walk. It may seem like wasting time or procrastination but can act like a ‘counter-force’ or corrective action to lack of motivation and productivity. Walking is a brain reset*. It can give you time to think about what you need to do, create energy, and can be a transition between vacation and work.