When you return from vacation, your tan is not the only thing you try to hold onto. You also want to maintain that “worry free” vacation mindset as long as possible. That’s right, that feeling of complete relaxation with no phone calls, email messages and emergency meetings to attend, is a much needed break for many of our nation’s workforce. However, how many of us really come back to work feeling refreshed and ready to get back into the swing of things?
More than 5,800 business professionals across the Beyond.com Network of thousands of industry and geographic-specific sites participated in a poll to share how they feel when they return to work after a vacation. And surprisingly, more than 76 percent of professionals indicated that they feel refreshed and relaxed.
Taking a vacation is important. In the fast-paced world we live in, we sometimes forget to slow down and take some time for ourselves. A vacation can keep us from burning out and can increase our job performance, but what if you’re one of the 24 percent who feel either the same as before they departed or no different from how they felt before they left? How do you bring those revitalizing feelings back to work with you? What’s the secret?
Although, there’s not a clear cut answer that will work for everyone, there are a few simple things you may want to try in order to make the most of your time off and feel refreshed when you return to work.
- Tie Up Loose Ends Before Cutting Loose – Try your best to complete major projects before leaving for vacation. If not, you’ll face a ton of final details to tend to when you return. Even if you have to put in a few extra hours before you leave you’ll be thankful you did when you get back.
- Remember Your “To Do” List is Not a “Must Do” List – Before leaving for your vacation, make a list of priorities to follow up on when you get back. Although you have a plan in place, keep in mind that some things may have come up while you were out, so don’t expect to complete your entire list on your first day back in the office.
- Determine a Back-Up To Keep You On Task – Ask a team member to be your backup while you’re away. This person should be updated on the status of the projects and should be able to fill in for you in your absence. Be sure to pick a teammate who is a hard worker, a team player, and who you can rely on in order to get the job done.
- Set Your Email and Voicemail Messages to Vacation Mode – Save yourself some stress and let others know that you’ll be out of the office. Set your email auto-reply as well as your voicemail message with the dates you will be away and who can be contacted in your absence.
- Beat The Crowd Back to the Office - Get to the office before your coworkers on your first day back to work. This will give you the chance to catch up on what you may have missed while you were out (check email, voicemail messages, etc…) before your colleagues come pouring in asking you about your time off.
- Decorate Your Office Space – Upon your return to the office, keep that wonderful vacation feeling with you. Display some pictures that were taken during your time away. When the day gets stressful take a break, look at your pictures and remember how you felt at that moment.
Returning to the office after a vacation can be a difficult feat, but by following these few simple tips, you can feel more relaxed following your next vacation. For more career-related tips, please visit our Career Resource Center.
