Returning to Work After a Long Weekend or Vacation
Returning to work after a long weekend or vacation always feels like a bit of a chore. You’re still in vacation mode and it can feel like a harsh reality to try and get back into the swing of things right away. If you’re struggling with the shock of returning to work, here are a few things to help you adjust back to work life.
Focus on your objectives for the day
It can be helpful to create a to-do list with 3 non-negotiables items listed that you need to accomplish that day and several more things you’d like to get done. By having clear goals and the important tasks prioritized, you’ll feel more organized and focused. Work on completing one task at a time before moving onto the next. This will help accomplish completing your to-do list with intent and direction.
Purge your inbox
After a long weekend or vacation, you’ll need to tackle your inbox that’s likely filled with spam emails, messages you were CC’d on, etc. If that’s the case, sort your mail by sender vs. when you received it, that way you can go through the emails and focus first on the ones that you’ll need to address from colleagues, prospects, and your boss. Anything that’s not relevant, such as spam and junk mail, simply select all and delete.
Schedule wisely
Upon returning to the office, try your best not to have a lot of meetings or calls scheduled the first couple of days. You want to use that first day or two instead addressing your inbox and tasks you need to get caught up on.
Give yourself time
If you’re returning back to work after a vacation, allow yourself some time to get caught up. It’s inevitable that you’ll have a lot to do, so take a deep breath and tackle each item one step at a time. By staying focused on your top objectives and prioritizing the most important tasks first, you will get caught up in a timely manner; take it one day at a time.