Today is back to work for me. I have been off on vacation for the past week and it has been wonderful. If the emails I received while off are any indication, when I walk in the door today, a million things that need done are going to be hitting me in the face.
During the past week I have stayed up late having fun, playing games, walking on the beach, enjoying the company of people I care about. I have slept in past 8:00 every single day, some days past 9. I have exercised in the water and by walking every day. I have done the things I enjoy the most, spending time with my family and time on the beach. I feel relaxed and refreshed.
Today I go back to work and within a day, that wonderful feeling of relaxation will be gone.
I love my job, but there is lots of work to do and not a lot of time to get it done. School starts in a few weeks so things have to be completed for that to happen. Everyone wants some of my time. Everyone needs something done.
I enjoy my job, but don’t enjoy the stress and the demands place upon me. I don’t enjoy that other people’s failure to plan gets thrown on my plate as an emergency. I like to be organized and plan projects out and complete them in a systematic process. I like getting things done ahead of schedule (even though I sometimes procrastinate getting started.)
I wish vacation lasted a lot longer and I only worked 3 days per week. (Doesn’t everyone!)
Tips For A Successful First Day Back
I did do a number of things to make sure I didn’t lose any time when I arrive at work. They only took a few minutes and will make a big difference.
1: I took 10 minutes before I left a week ago, and wrote down a list of the projects I was working on and the status of them so I can pick up where I left off.
2. I also made a list of things that need to get done this week.
3. I scheduled my trip so that I would be home a full day before returning to work. Need that day to recoup from the trip and do laundry, etc.
4. I scanned email several times while away and deleted everything but the important messages that I would need to act on. So today I will only have 50 messages to deal with instead of 1000.
5. I took a few minutes yesterday to plan my clothes for the week. Sounds minor, but I don’t have to think about anything when I get up in the AM except getting out the door.
6. I prepared the items I want to take with me in my lunch. Just need to grab them out of the fridge and put in my bag.
7. Last evening before going to bed, I made sure everything was in my tote that I would need for my first day back. (Keys, important papers, tablet, laptop, etc.)
8. Before shutting down my computer last evening, I took a few minutes to review my schedule and what is on tap for the day.
9. Made sure I got to bed at a decent time.
These things won’t make my day perfect by any means, but they will cut down on the stress and make things go a little smoother. Everyone needs that their first day back to work, regardless if you work from home or in an office.
Today I am wearing suntan lotion, scandals, and pretend I’m still at the beach! I’m going to do everything I can to extend this relaxed vacation feeling into the week ahead.
What is your favorite way to keep yourself relaxed and rejuvenated after a vacation? How do you prepare for the first day back?