We all know that sluggish feeling of general uneasiness that takes over when we have to face reality after vacation and go back to work. There’s actually a name for it: PVS, for post-vacation syndrome. But it’s easy to prevent, you just have to plan ahead. Professor Susan Krauss Whitbourne says the key is to “Set yourself up for a successful return before you leave.”
Here’s the plan to follow, according to the experts.
Before you leave:
Come home early: Don’t book your return ticket home for late Sunday, come back on Saturday so you have time to get organized, says stress management expert Kathleen Hall.
Schedule catch-up time: “Put four 30-minute blocks on your calendar over the first two days to return emails and calls,” says Jessica Kennedy, Ph.D., assistant professor at Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management.
While you’re gone:
Unplug 95-percent: “Not everyone can unplug 100 percent, so I tell clients to go for 95,” says Dana Brownlee, a corporate trainer in Atlanta. “Working 5 percent on vacation is just enough to respond to emergencies or keep big projects afloat.”
Forget social media: You want to experience and enjoy your vacation, not document it!
When you get back:
Limit meetings: Try to avoid them the first day back in the office so you have time to work on anything urgent and get through your vacation backlog without extra stress.
Use your lunch break: On vacation you get to be outdoors and in the fresh air. So make a point to get outside twice during your first week back and let it re-energize you!
