Returning to Work After Vacation

Let's pretend it's an ideal world, and you get to take a vacation from your job just for the purpose of relaxation and fun. No duty visits, no big yard chores, just taking it easy. If you're lucky enough to get a vacation like this, do you think it will be harder to get back to the daily grind of going to work each morning? It doesn't have to be.

The best step to take begins before you even leave on vacation. Make sure that all your work is caught up as of your last day. Respond to all your messages, make sure your calendar is clear of appointments, and tie up any loose ends that you can. You'll probably be playing some "catch-up" anyway, but there's no sense in making it worse for yourself. Also, by doing this, you are less likely to take your work issues on vacation with you. Thinking about work while on vacation defeats the purpose of taking a break from work.

If possible plan your return to work on Tuesday or Wednesday. In this way you won't have to face a full week of work right after vacation. Another trick is to go back part time that first week back and work only five, six, or seven hours each day. Both of these techniques allow you to ease back in to work and not be too exhausted that first weekend you are back.

When you do get back to work, expect to take some time the first day or two exchanging news with your colleagues. Especially if you are even a little friendly with them, you will want to tell them about your vacation, and catch up on their doings. If this is allowed during work hours, expect to get a little less work done. If chit-chat is frowned on, plan to arrive a few minutes early and/or stay a bit late for social time.

By your second or, at most, third day back at work, you should be working at your regular capacity, or even a little better, since you are relaxed from your recent vacation. No boss is going to take kindly to hearing that you need to get back in the swing a week or two after you return to work.

Everyone would like to stay on vacation forever, or at least for a while longer, but if you've used your vacation time to recharge your energy and enthusiasm, going back to work will be exciting and rewarding.