Holding On To The Zen
5 strategies (+2 bonuses) for extending that blissful vacation feeling
Have you ever returned from vacation and by mid-Monday morning you’re trying to remember—what vacation? The chaoticness of work quickly takes over, stress kicks in, and your restful week away starts to feel like a distant memory.
Yeah, me too.
I got back from vacation this week, and a few hours into my return I was already starting to have the Monday-est of Mondays.
Until I hopped on a call with a colleague who shared that they were still “holding on to the zen” from their vacation the week prior to mine. And suddenly, I was inspired to do the same … and acted quickly to recapture my vacation zen.
So, how do you orchestrate work reentry to extend that blissful vacation feeling? Here are five strategies (and two bonuses) for holding on to your vacation zen as long as possible:
Clean your desk. There’s nothing quite like coming back to a clean home or desk following a vacation. Cleaning your desk before you leave ensures a fresh start—there’s no past clutter to weigh you down upon your return. (Pro tip: also change your bedding so you can sink into a clean fresh bed when you get back … ahhhh.)
Block your calendar. Definitely block your first morning back, and the full first day if you’re able. Also block out chunks of time throughout the week to ensure you have the time and space to catch up on things you missed, tackle the unexpected, and decompress when needed.
Catch up with colleagues. Conversations and connections feed your soul, so focus on reconnecting with your people, first. Your emails and to-do lists aren’t going anywhere, I promise. Ask your colleagues three questions: 1/ How was your week? 2/ Is there anything that happened while I was away that I need to know about? and 3/ Is there anything you need my immediate help with? These questions will help you prioritize your time and focus on what’s most important.
Walk away. This was my colleague’s secret to success—the strategy they used to maintain their zen for over a week, post-vacation. If you’re working on something (or with someone) and start to feel your heart race or stress levels elevate, just walk away. By giving yourself permission to step away—even if only for a few minutes—you’re creating the space to recenter yourself, put whatever triggered you into perspective, and de-escalate your stress response.
Schedule restorative time. It’s easy to push otherwise healthy habits aside in favor of working overtime to get “caught up” when you return from time away. Resist the urge. Instead, jump back into your daily and weekly routines and—if these routines don’t already include them—schedule time to intentionally do restorative practices—meditation, yoga, walking in nature, etc.—to help keep stress at bay and maintain your vacation zen.
And if you’re able, level-up your work reentry with these bonus strategies:
Shorten your first week back. Who says you have to return to work on Monday? Take Monday off and shorten your first week back at work. (Heck, take the following Friday off, too, and come back to a 3-day work week.) Returning to a shorter work week can help ease the transition back and reduce the amount of exposure to stress-inducing events.
Extend vacation coverage. While I was away, I had a co-worker covering a daily process I’m responsible for. Unexpectedly, they volunteered to continue covering it during my first week back (a huge thank you to them for that!). This was a game-changer for me—it reduced my daily workload and created capacity for me to catch up on more urgent things. I highly recommend it!
Now it’s your turn, dear reader … what did I miss? What strategies do you use to hold on to your vacation zen when you return to work?
Side thought: The idea of getting “caught up” is a trap—an elusive state that many of us never quite seem able to attain, time away or not. More on this in a future post? Let me know if this is a topic you’d like me to explore!