The First Day Back from Vacation Seems So Sudden!

Just yesterday, I was on vacation. My worries were, what fun was I going to get up to for the day and where was I going to go to dinner! I got up to watch the sunset, because I could - and could actually sit with a nice cup of coffee and enjoy it - instead of sunrise being a beacon of time hounding me that I have to get out the door and into the traffic or I'll be late for work.

The first day back at work after a vacation seems so ... well, so sudden.

Even though I knew it was coming of course, it just seems that the piles of paper and mail and lists of emails and phone calls to return belong to someone else, not me -- the beach-goer, fort explorer, lighthouse climber...

It's a little depressing, no?

There is actually something called "return-from-vacation-blues" or something like that. Big pharma is probably working on a pill for it but if you are into a more natural way, the answer lies in being a little organized and a lot kind to yourself!

Because we have someone come to stay at our house to take care of the dogs while we are gone, I can't leave the house in a tip. I have to clean it before I go. That has worked out to be a huge benefit for me because I come home to a clean house. It feels a LOT better not to walk and and think OMG, I have to do this and this and that.

In addition to the let-down of returning to the ol' grind without the hopeful glow of a vacation looming in the near future, traveling is tiring. Chances are you were probably letting your hair down a bit (and with it, your sleep schedule and diet!) so there really is some catching up to do!

Transition

If you can, leave a day or two OFF after you've come home but before you go to work. If you are like us and you have to squeak every last second out of every vacation day because they are so scarce, then at least plan for your first few days back to be easy days. Transition days where you are kind to yourself by doing only as much as you have to and nothing extra!

At Home

Before you go, cook a little extra and freeze it. Throw a loaf of bread in the freezer too. Whatever you can think of that you can toss in there so that when you return late on Sunday night, you don't have to stop at the grocery store on the way from the airport or face a house void of a morsel of sustenance.

Plan for Chinese take-out or pizza the next day so that you do not have to rush home and cook.

Wait till the next weekend to do the laundry but DO empty the case and get it out of the middle of the floor. It is just a depression magnifier!

In the Office

Just as you clean your house before you go away, you should clean your desk and get as much done as you possibly can. Leave a prioritized list of what needs to be done upon your return. That way, you can come back, go through the list and not worry about putting out all the fires until you've been back for a few days.

If you're a blogger, set up some posts to publish while you are gone. When you set up your away-from-your-desk messages, set them to a day or two after you've returned. Give yourself that time to catch up while everyone thinks you are still away!

Your coworkers and family and friends and the rest of the world will do their part to bury you with work the minute you arrive back home. You certainly don't need to add to it! This is the time to take a little extra care of yourself.

I hope these tips will help you make a happier transition from vacation to ol' grind next time and by now you realize that I lied. I have been back from vacation for a few days! I am getting back to work now.