Transitioning Back From Vacation Mode to Work Mode: 5 Powerful Tips to Get Back to Work

Vacation mode is over. How to get back to work easily?

You have finally accomplished something by achieving the dream of a lifetime. You went out on a vacation! Days or weeks of relaxation and foreign foods have made you wish that it would never end. But, alas, this must take place. Vacation mode has come to an end. Going back to work cannot be avoided. Returning home after one’s trip can be quite daunting for one such as yourself who has been in a million places with absolutely no email, meetings, deadlines, and managing finances. This year, returning to work after the holidays might prove to be a bit more challenging than it was in the past because you’ve likely been spending your time off in the very same place as you work – your home. Returning to a physical office space helps your brain switch back to work mode after holiday mode. It will take a more conscious effort to turn home back into an office, especially if you don’t have a home office or dedicated working space. The anticipation of going back may make your tummy flutter. We’re here to help you by providing some excellent tips to follow when transitioning one’s self back into regular work mode after the holidays!

Transitioning Back From Vacation Mode to Work Mode

1. Positive Attitude

It’s important to start your first day back off with a positive attitude and not a negative one. When you have a positive attitude, the way you deal with stress and the way you approach your day is affected. A positive attitude promotes success by giving you a more positive outlook on life. When you have a positive attitude, you are more likely to approach problems with a fearless attitude. You’ll be more likely to stay on task and achieve your goals of the day. People with positive attitudes get more accomplished in their lives and have healthier lifestyles than people with negative attitudes.

2. Don’t Get Caught In The Email Loop.

The first day back at work after a holiday is always overwhelming. With all the emails, phone calls, and cups of coffee waiting for your attention, it’s no wonder you feel like you’ve fallen down the rabbit hole! Without a clear plan to go through your emails, you’ll end up lost in your inbox for hours and might not get to everything important. Having a strategy to tackle emails will not only help you get through your inbox with at least a little less stress. The best way to start is by skimming through your inbox looking at subject lines only. Use the star function to categorize messages that need to be responded to and that you need to read. Once you’ve gone through your messages, filter them by category and work through them one category at a time. By focusing on one type of message, you’ll be able to get through them quicker and maintain your focus.

3. Focus On One Thing At A Time

We all have so much to do, right? We have work, family, friends, the internet, etc. It’s easy to think that multitasking is the only way to get anything done. But, it turns out that’s not true. Multitasking hurts your memory and cognitive ability, especially because you have to remember multiple things at once. It takes your brain a few minutes to refocus on the task at hand, so you’re always working behind schedule.
Trying to do too much can make you stressed, which isn’t good for anyone’s health. Lastly, you’re not being efficient. You’re spending more time doing things less effectively. Just focus on one thing at a time and you’ll get more done in less time. If you force yourself to be efficient and acceptable, you’ll see a huge improvement in your work.

4. Plan Your Day Ahead

Either the day before returning to work or the morning of returning to work, take some time to plan out your day. Create a list of tasks that need to be completed at work, and organize them by tier of priority. Use Timeboxing technique for this. As you go through your day, use the list to refer to which things come first and what has already been accomplished. This will keep you on track and increase efficiency while still giving you some wiggle room in case something gets out of control or presents a necessary shift in focus at any point during the day! 

5. Take Breaks During The Day

Going into full work mode without any breaks is a recipe for burnout. Don’t let guilt force you into believing that you have to work yourself into the ground because you were away. Be kind to yourself and remember that you deserved your vacation mode and the time it takes to recover from it. Take about a five or ten-minute break every three hours to decompress and relax. It may seem impossible, but you’ll make it through.  

Follow the tips and tricks above as well as your ways of staying motivated and on track after the holidays, and you should find yourself back at work with ease.