No time to read - no worries - listen here!
I’m baaaaack!
Well I’ve been back for over a week now from an amazing 10 days of vacation and I want to share with you what I did well (and what I WILL do next time also) to create a smooth re-entry back into my life from the cocoon of vacation.
We are extremely fortunate to have parents who share their place with us each and every year. And while my adventurous heart sometimes wants some different, if you are anywhere where you’ve had an ice storm, then a snow storm, then just very cold dreary days (and more days)…you understand Florida IS a treat.
I truly disconnected. I didn’t check my email. Not even once. A colleague texted me as I was in the airport on the way and said I had put the wrong dates on my away message, and I had to ask her how to even sign in from the web to change those! (More on HOW to do this will be upcoming - just in time for spring break).
But here are 5 things I either did well - or learned from - that will hopefully make YOUR re-entry more smooth next time also. What else has worked for YOU?
1) I proactively blocked a few hours on my first day back for “catch-up”. This allowed me to actually get through my emails and have time to handle anything that came up while I was out that WAS pressing. I WISH I actually would have blocked smaller amounts of time THROUGHOUT my entire first week back also.
2) I WISH I would have also created specific calendar appointments for myself for those things I already knew I had to get done the day of return (or soon after).... adding in any notes or file locations. Trust me, your future self will thank you. (As I’m sitting here trying to even remember my password and where the heck the file is that I need). Any barrier you can reduce to accomplishing those tasky things will make the day back FEEL much easier.
3) I maintained my 30 minute weekly planning process first thing Monday morning.
4) This 👆 includes re-centering on your purpose and goals (BEFORE you open that email). Often you come back with a renewed sense of what is actually important. WRITE THAT DOWN. For example, I came back knowing I needed to figure out some way to better manage the stress of decisions and the “urgency” I feel for (in reality) non-urgent things.
5) After I get through my“catch up” time that you blocked, I create my HIT list for today (High Impact Task) list of NO MORE than 3 things that you aim to accomplish that day. You may have a longer to-do list this first day/week back, but try and remember the place DID survive while you were out…you WILL get to it.
🔥 I don’t believe we should be living for our vacations - they should just be the cherry on the top.🔥
If you totally dread coming back from vacation, it could be a sign your day-to-day could use a revamp. ➡️➡️➡️ book a call with me to chat!