8 Ways to Be More Productive After Taking a Vacation

You’re not alone if you ever feel like you need a vacation right after your vacation, especially when you’ve just had a relaxing, magical, and well-deserved vacation. It can be hard to motivate yourself to throw yourself back into work and worry about deadlines, emails and clients. Unfortunately, all good times must come to an end, and your work cannot be avoided forever.

In fact, that inevitable buildup of work can be so overwhelming that some people avoid going on vacation. last year, 55% are American haven’t used all of their vacation days, and just over half of Americans plan to take at least half of their vacation days. This is partly because people fear that no one else will be able to do their job and they will have to go back to the mountain of work.

for Entrepreneurs and business owners, productivity Extremely important. Because of this, the fear of falling behind in work increases. People in leadership positions often feel that they have to work twice as hard when they return because of the amount of responsibility they carry.

However, the benefits of taking a vacation are undeniable. In fact, they may even help Make you more productive When you get back. When you return, here are a few tips to help make your transition from vacation to work a little smoother.

1. Give yourself a buffer day

If possible, try to add an extra day at the end of your vacation before returning home and back to work. It can be tempting to spend every possible second elsewhere, but adding a buffer day can do wonders for your morale and productivity. It may seem like a bad idea to spend the day off at home, but it can give you a chance to catch up and take your time to get back to your regular pace.

This day can be used to do all the laundry from the trip, hit the gym to pull off those amazing holiday meals, grocery shop, plan meals, and relax to get through a day of travel. While it may not seem like the most fun or glamorous day, it can help clear excess stresses in your life and help your brain focus more fully on work.

2. Ask for an update before you come back

Before you start blindly answering emails in your full inbox and getting back to projects, ask your manager or teammates to update you on what happened. Email the day before you return (or schedule to go out) so you know if anything has changed while you’re gone. Maybe the scope of the project has changed, or a more urgent project has popped up. By asking, you can determine what you should prioritize when you return.

3. Don’t start with email

Emails are one of the biggest time wasters in the office, and this is especially true when you come back from vacation. You may have hundreds of emails building up from your vacation time, so your desire to get into your inbox and clean it out can be really easy. However, don’t let yours get confused Email activity with real productivity. Only reply to emails that require a response now

4. Start slow

Even with a buffer day, don’t feel like you have to go 150% just because you had the day off. While you may be tempted to start out stronger than ever, this can hurt you. You may feel like you should be working non-stop to catch up on your first day, but this can stress you out, make more mistakes than usual, and ruin your productivity.

Don’t be afraid to take a break, even if you just come back from vacation. Transition from your rest period and help your body and mind settle back into a routine.

5. Revisit your to-do list

To set yourself up for success, you should leave yourself a list of pending projects. When you come back from vacation, especially if it was an extended trip, you may have missed a lot. So, check your work calendar to see if there’s anything coming up and something that might happen while you’re gone. You can then revise your to-do list accordingly to ensure you’re taking care of the most important things for a stress-free transition.

6. Do something different on the first day back

One of the hardest things about coming off vacation is getting back into a routine, nothing new or exciting. To help keep your spirits up and speed up your work, try doing something simple. Maybe try eating at a restaurant that has a cuisine you’ve been wanting to try, or use your buffer day to cook a different recipe.

Or consider trying a new workout class at the gym, or checking out a tourist attraction in your town after work. That way, you can feel like you’re still experiencing exciting and unique things, which will help break the routine and keep the holiday excitement going while you’re at home.

7. Meet colleagues for coffee or happy hour

One of the best things about going on vacation is reminiscing about it. It’s always good to catch up with your colleagues, especially if you’ve missed them for a while. While you shouldn’t spend too much of your office time showing off photos and talking about your trip, you can use your lunch hour or a coffee break to reminisce with colleagues. Use this conversation to get any necessary work projects or relevant information you may need.

8. Remember to relax

Don’t be discouraged from taking time off because of busy work. It can be easy to take holidays off, but remember that they are crucial to your work-life balance. While it may seem like there’s a lot to do when you get back, make sure to cut yourself some slack and remember that you’re only human. There’s only so much you can do when you get back, so don’t try to burn yourself out right away. If you feel overwhelmed, take a few deep breaths, continue practicing self-care routines like meditation, yoga, and exercise, and keep your spirits up.

Conclusion

A vacation is a great way to take a break from work, refresh, and relax. As mentioned earlier, taking a vacation has countless benefits. However, you don’t want your vacation to be just the beginning Productivity slumps. Use these tips to get your productivity back.

This article was originally published in 2019 but has been updated and expanded.

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Business Opportunities · Entrepreneurial Lifestyle · Featured · Find Your Way · Productivity

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Entrepreneurial Lifestyle · Find Your Way · Grow Your Business · Lead Your Team · Productivity · Your Mindset