Successfully get back to work after a long vacation
May is generally the month to break for a vacation. A lot of employees start blocking dates six months prior to their holiday booking. This trend is a common one seen in almost all workplaces.
Everyone banks on a good long vacation once in a while. However, vacations can be quite exhausting especially if you are visiting a new place. As an tourist visiting a new place, here’s so much to see, learn and experience. Most often on returning back from one vacation, you need another to recover and rejuvenate. But why does it have to be like that?
Yes, vacations have a way of throwing you off track but that needn’t always be the case. When duty calls after a long vacation, remember to make note of a few things and prevent future repercussions.
Create a running list of pending projects
It is important to make known the status of pending projects, like clients’ feedback or approvals pending. Setting up an automated out-of-office message response to your mail is important. Create a ‘to-do list’ of the things that are currently on your mind. Prioritize tasks according to which are most important to tackle upon your return.
Delegate the things that can’t wait until your return
Are all the reports delivered, and deadlines met? Time and tide wait for no man. Make sure that each project deadline is taken care of before you leave. If for any reason it isn’t met, assign a resource to cover you.
Keep a clean desk
This is a great time to get rid of unnecessary things piled on your desk. Since you won’t be at your desk for a couple of days, it’s best to clean out everything you don’t need. Also, be sure to clear all pending bills like the electricity bill, telephone bill etc. to avoid crossing the due date.
The cure to a post-vacation hangover
Give yourself a buffer day by returning a early. Get a good night’s rest before taking on the next day. This will help you wake up feeling recharged and ready to get back to work.
Resume Your Routine
So how do you get back into the routine of things when you first return to work? Grab your cup and fill it with hot coffee. Enjoy every sip you take. Gradually tackle the stacked up files. Within a day or so you will be back to your natural work rhythm.
