Top Seven Ways To "Jump Back In" After Vacation
By: Lynne Jarman-Johnson
How many times have you said to yourself or heard others say, “I need a vacation from my vacation?” After 8 days of spotty internet access I have been sifting through communication messages and have come up with the top seven ways to organize and jump back into reality.
1) Write down the most calming and enjoyable aspects of your vacation in 5 words. Mine are:
Family
Sunshine
Ocean
Laughter
Faith Signs
2) Keep the words with you posted somewhere to see as you begin to re-connect into the real world. This is a critical step. Remember to feel the relaxation you felt while away from the pressures of daily life. (I try to immediately forget the hassle of travel- and chalk that up to part of the fun!) If you start feeling tense - look at those words, close your eyes and picture yourself back in the “relax mode”
3) Organize your communication. Prioritize who you need to reach out to first. I use down time (airplane waits/ airline trips/ car trips when I’m not the driver) to organize the “must respond to first” emails, texts and networking messages. I place them in folders of “Do Immediately, Look At Today, and Review this week.” Then I tackle them one by one. The categorizing is important because it helps to keep you on track and you will feel inspired and ready versus disorganized and overwhelmed.
4) DO NOT let other colleagues issues and “fires” become your “fires.” Immediately keep your calm hat on and respond only to communication that will help you move forward with your prioritized list. It is OK to respond in a positive way but don’t jump on the treadmill of panic. Don’t allow others to have you feel stressed the second you return.
5) Don’t forget to change back “out of office” auto replies or voice mails that say you are not available. (But don’t change them too early - if you are truly on vacation - yet came home a day early - stay on vacation!!!)
6) Begin planning for your next break. Take mini breaks throughout the day. Re-look at the words and photos you have of your time away. The more relaxed and focused you are at work, the more enjoyable you make work for others, the more you will engage in a more productive work flow.
7) Thank those who helped you relax and have a great time while you were away.
It could be those you met while traveling or those at home who helped make your trip more enjoyable. Take the time to thank them for helping you be able to take a break and re-energize for the work ahead!
No comments:
Post a Comment