Back from vacation – huffingtonpost.com
Happy hump-day! And for some of us, the transition is all the more real, as you may just have come back from vacation. Now is the dreaded time to get back to work, cautiously log into your inbox and expect to be flooded with tons of pending emails, unending to-do’s, not to mention the stress, chaotic office life and slight gloom and depression of after vacay!
- Start early! I like to get in the office early on the day that I return from vacation, just to give myself some time to compose my disconnected self before everyone gets in and corporate chaos sets in once again! Plan to get in a bit earlier than usual, take a deep breath, get yourself that extra cup of joe and get ready…
- Reconnect, reconnect, reconnect! After shutting down your out-of-office assistant, don’t just keep staring blindlessly at your computer screen, waiting for it to turn into the white sand and clear water you just left! Get up and walk around the office, make your presence known, inquire about what has been going on during your absence, and what new projects or assignments are under way! And while you’re at it, why not indulge in some positive office gossip?
- Be realistic! The mistake that many a corporate sister (or brother) makes upon returning to work from vacation is that they can catch up on everything in a day. Be realistic, and avoid biting on more work than you can realistically chew! Communicate with management, and make sure to tackle the most urgent tasks first. Allow yourself some flexibility and bandwidth to cover all the requests, emails and tasks waiting for you. You will be less overwhelmed, and…less prone to booking that ticket back to Punta Cana!
Are you back from vacation? How are you coping with it?
The Corporate Sister.
