Vacations are meant to be relaxing and stress-free. Getting into the mindset of ‘vacation mode’ can be difficult for some. But for most, getting back into the ‘work-mode’ mindset is the hardest part of returning from vacation. You can’t stay in holiday mode forever. The time is up, and life doesn’t wait for anyone.
Getting back into your regular working flow is difficult. Just yesterday, you spent your whole day lying in bed, and now today, you must get up early and get back to work? Fortunately, we have a few tips on restoring productivity after a vacation.
5 Tips On Restoring Productivity After A Vacation
Add A Few Buffer Days
Returning to work after a vacation is hard enough as it is but returning to work right as you are returning from vacation is that much harder. Adding a few buffer days between your first day back and your return from vacation can be immensely beneficial.
Spend these buffer days reorganizing and start getting back into the flow of things. Unpack and do your laundry, get your home back in order, and review your work calendar. If you can return some sense of work back into your routine, your productivity when you return will be much higher.
Plan For Your Return
Before you leave for vacation or during your buffer days, you should start planning for your return. This could mean making a to-do list of tasks you need to complete once you are back. This also means planning out your work calendar to help you know what’s in store for when you return. Maybe even run your to-do list or planner with your manager or supervisor to get back into the run of things, so you are on the same page as everyone else at the office.
Just using a day or two to understand what you are returning to can be significantly helpful. It can help you prioritize tasks that are important. Just knowing what’s in store usually impacts our productivity massively.
Build Steam By Accomplishing Little Tasks
Take some time to prioritize your tasks at hand. Once you know what needs to be done for the day, you can start by accomplishing the easiest and simplest tasks of the day. Getting a few easy wins and feeling accomplished helps us stay motivated for the long day ahead. Early wins also help us gain back our confidence in accomplishing the work we are there to do. All of this will help you in restoring productivity after a vacation.
Take A Few Breaks
Yes, breaks can help us be more productive, especially when you are just returning from a holiday. Do you really think you can work for 8-9hours straight after spending so many days straight without worrying about any work?
Make sure you give yourself some time to refresh and relax to make the back-to-work transition easier. Even if the breaks are tiny, just taking a few minutes to breathe can help increase productivity overall. The easier you go through your first day back, the more motivated you will be to return and continue working.
Don’t Be Too Harsh On Yourself
It is okay to take it easy at first. It is also okay to have a slow start. You were away for a while, and it is hard to get back into your pre-vacation flow of how you were working. For some, it just takes longer to get back into the mindset. You shouldn’t put too much pressure on yourself. People rarely return from time off and be their productive selves as soon as their return. It is okay if you struggle a little bit. Soon you will be back to how it used to be, and your productivity will be as high as ever.