July and August are popular times to take vacation from work and if you are like many of us you will have some time off coming up. It is important to take vacation time in order to achieve a good work-life balance however once you have time off from work it can be difficult to go back and get back into a work routine!
The end of a vacation means that you’re headed back to work and back to reality, but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing! Our tips below will help you make a seamless transition back to work after vacation with very little stress.
5 Ways to Transition Back into Work After Vacation
1. Organize Yourself Upon Return
It’s likely that while you were away on vacation things have been added to your desk/workspace. When you come back to work after your time off make sure that you organize your workstation and get everything back to the way you like it before diving into your work. It will keep you organized and focused as you approach the tasks ahead.
2. Gradually Work Up to a Full Return
It can be difficult to dive right back into your regular routine. Give yourself time to readjust to your work habits and do one task at a time to re-immerse yourself. And don’t feel to bad if it takes you a minute to remember how things work, you have been gone for a while after all!
3. Clear Your Email/Voicemail
There is nothing worse for productivity than seeing the voicemail light flashing on your phone or seeing an inbox full of unread messages. Start your day off by slowing making your way through the messages you missed while you were away. This is a good way to get situated with what has been going on while you were gone and will help get you back into the swing of things.
4. Do Small Tasks First
Once you have determined what needs to be done make sure that you do the simple/small tasks first. This is great for productivity (don’t put something off that could be done in under 5-10 minutes) and is great for gathering small victories upon your return. Completing a few small tasks will help you start to re-develop your rhythm and get you back into the flow before you tackle your bigger to-do list.
5. Plan an Activity for Your First Week Back
After a vacation it can be difficult to go from time off having fun to a full work day. This complete change in day-to-day activities can cause you to be in a bad mood/funk, especially if you come back to a large workload. In order to prevent this, try booking a fun activity after work during the week you go back. This will give you something to look forward to and add some fun to a week that could otherwise be very stressful.
Follow the five tips above for a seamless transition back to work after your vacation!