Goodbye summer. September is back, and so is our work routine. Getting back to our frantic daily pace is not easy, but it is certainly not impossible either. Write these 9 steps down so you will be productive after vacation.
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1. Start one day earlier
Return from your vacation place at least one day in advance. Getting started with some time left will help you “land” more calmly and you will better acclimatize yourself to your routine. Use this period of adaptation to think about your first day at work and how you will arrange your time upon arriving in the office. The day before your return to work, try to keep meal and resting times similar to those you will have when you get back to your office.
2. Make a list of active projects
In order to pick up the work pace and not become discouraged trying, we must have a clear idea of the projects that we had left on hold to go on vacation. Make a list of those active and pending tasks and decide the most immediate steps to be taken to resume them. Begin by going back to the project you like the most to get off to a good start.
3. Write good ideas down
When we come back from vacation, we are fresher and well-rested. Sure thing, during your days off you felt inspired and came up with ideas and plans to put in place. Write them down for later review; they will serve you as an encouragement to kick off again.
4. Keep your leisure time
Do not consider your leisure time as over. Finishing your holidays does not mean you have to stop doing things after work. Enjoy what remains of your day after the work is done and do some outdoor activities, sports, etc. If these are activities that you started to practice during your vacation, so much the better, because they will help you keep those nice moments and will serve you as motivation.
5. Give yourself good rest
We’ve already recommended not to alter your sleep-wake rhythm too much during your vacation. It is only natural for you to have changed your daily habits if only slightly, so it is important now for you to enjoy a good rest and avoid going to bed too late.
6. Beware of too much caffeine
Although it may look counterintuitive, the “back to school” time is not the right moment to abuse stimulants. Reduce your coffee consumption and eat a healthy, balanced diet which will increase your productivity. If you can, try to avoid precooked meals on your first days.
7. Resume your productivity system
Pick up your productive principles; you are bound to have them. Get back to your system, your methodology, and you will see you will pick up the pace. If you want some help, you can check out our posts on productivity:
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8. Get to and out of work at the right time
Something as obvious as making the most of your time is actually vital in fighting post-vacation syndrome. Try to be on time so you will not start your first day all stressed, and try to get out when the clock says so to avoid getting discouraged after a long and exhausting first day. During the day, avoid unnecessary meetings and do not hold up your colleagues with unproductive conversations.
9. Delay the making of important decisions
Wait a few days to make important decisions. Scheduling them for just after our return will result in us making mistakes because we are still focusing on getting back to reality. A period of adaptation is necessary; within a few days, you will surely be fully ready.
What do you do to avoid post-vacation syndrome?
