Return to work survival kit

Have you ever returned from vacation into a vortex of urgent tasks and client emergencies? As the wave of pressure washes into you, you trade a sun-kissed tan for post-vacation chaos. That 'back-to-reality' crash can make you question why you bothered leaving in the first place. So, with a two-week escape looming, I decided to experiment. I attempted to preserve my zen and manage my workload. Here’s what I did and learned.

• Strategy One - Schedule some buffer time. I'm the type to race from the plane directly to work, wanting to savour every moment of the trip. This particular vacation we had a 36-hours of down time. It was amazing.

  
  

  We did laundry, bought groceries, and got a good sleep. I felt prepared and organized for my next work day. However, I sacrificed one additional destination day. Was the juice worth the squeeze? I'm not sure, but it is something to consider.

  
  

• Strategy Two - Work a little bit. Over the two weeks of vacation, I made a point to go through email and messages infrequently. This was dedicated time reading emails and messages. This isn't new to me, rather a tried and tested strategy. I find that a few minutes of email management reduces anxiety. It allows me to be fully present during the vacation because it removes lingering uncertainty and fear of a distant crisis needing my attention.

  
  

• Strategy Three - Farm Endorphins (Exercise). I am pretty good at being active during vacation. This particular one had over 30,000 metres of snowboarding decent, swimming and a lot of walking. However, usually when I return home, re-forming exercise habits is difficult. A few days "break" can turn in a few weeks quickly. This time, despite a lack of motivation, I forced myself to be active immediately upon my return. This strategy isn't about physical wellness it is about mental wellness. Exercise combats the vacation blues and kick starts your regular routine.

  
  

  It was very successful. Exercising my first day back had a large positive impact on my transition back to real life.

• Strategy Four - Formalize urgent communication. We have clear communication expectations in our team. If I receive a phone call or text message, I act on it as soon as possible. Email, intranet announcements, or other forms of communication have no expectation of response and can go unread until your return. This created a clear separation between vacation and work, preventing unnecessary distractions and pressure.

  
  

  This strategy worked as intended, and related to Strategy Two, it let me be fully immersed in my time away.

  
  

• Strategy Five - Marathon mantra. During the first week back at work I reminded myself "It's a marathon, not a sprint". A steady, disciplined approach, I knew, was the most productive, and the pressure to dive into long hours and solve everything at once was a self-imposed, unsustainable expectation.

  
  

  This self-talk did help keep my internal pressure at bay. Particularly the reminder that I will achieve better results from a more balanced return to work.

Several weeks have passed. In addition to my above commentary I'm ready to evaluate my personalized "return-to-work survival kit,". Looking back, did I transition seamlessly from paradise to spreadsheets?

No, I didn't. But the results are mixed. The reality is our fast-paced, quick moving, results driven world has a big influence on me. More than I like to admit. For the most part, I was swept back up into the rush of it all. However, during vacation I felt present and disconnected (in a good way). Leading into my return I felt more prepared and balanced.

If I were to pick one strategy that helped the most, I would choose Strategy Four. By formalizing urgent communication it gave me peace of mind while away. I knew that my email inbox was not harbouring some looming crisis and I could stay in the moment. This is an important trust and communication standard that allows me to emotionally unplug.