The vacation is over: how to painlessly return to work after a vacation

The vacation is over and it's time to go to work. Some people are ready to "move mountains" after a vacation and go to work full of energy and vigor. For others, going to work after a vacation causes wild stress and discomfort. Exclusively for Inc-news experts shared their personal recommendations on how to make the departure from vacation less painful and to keep the energy gained during the rest as long as possible.

Adjust yourself to the working mood.

It is better to return from a trip early for a day or two to have time to readjust the body, thereby avoiding unnecessary stress.

"The is no need to "hit the ground running", it is advisable to plan a vacation so that when you return, you will not immediately get to work. Ideally, a couple of days is usually enough to acclimatize, both physically and psychologically. In a few days, the body and psyche quickly remember their "walls", which already significantly reduces the difficulty of returning to everyday life, "- said psychologist / sports psychologist Anna Sedelnikova.

Normalize the daily routine.

During vacations, we are already used to going to bed late and sleeping until dinner. However, on weekdays we have to stick to a certain schedule.

To get into working mode, I also recommend to return to normal street schedule in advance, 2-3 days before the end of vacation. Thus, you will not feel stress in the first working days after rest, "- assures the psychotherapist, author of over 150 books on psychology, Rushel Blavo

Plan to get out of vacation closer to the end of the week.

According to Ruschel Blavo, such a little lifehack as going to work on Thursday will give you the opportunity to feel the working atmosphere, but still have two days off already "looming" on the horizon to reset and fill with energy for the work week.

Make a to-do list for the first days of work.

Enter the work gradually, giving ourselves time to become familiar with the past changes and to reconstruct the details of the projects.

"Don't make appointments for the first few days. Prepare at a relaxed pace. Make a to do list in the first few days. If there is a feeling of a huge array of tasks, just stick to the list. What the eyes fear, the hands do" advises Olga Shaldybina, Ph.D. in Psychology, CPTD (Certified Professional in Talent Development).

You can set goals for the coming month or quarter, come up with inspiring rewards, it is worth focusing on how daily actions lead to the achievement of your goals.

Over a long break from work, there are usually a lot of tasks that need to be done. Yulia Fedotova, a psychotherapist with Zigmund.Online psychotherapy service, recommends using various time-management techniques.

"To begin with, so that the effects of a vacation do not immediately go away, it makes sense to distribute all the accumulated work, using various time-management techniques, such as the Eisenhower Matrix or ABC analysis. It is also necessary to divide up the work tasks with breaks for short pleasant rest, which can include conversations with colleagues, coffee breaks and other positive moments. Be sure to think about how you will spend the first weekend after the work week, this will help keep you in the mood," she notes.

Using the cyclic operation of our brain system.

From a scientific point of view, the system of our brain has some features that we can use correctly and avoid damaging our mental and physical health.

Neuropsychologist, rehabilitologist, author of the scientific method " Fine Touch" Alena Arleanskaya explains that during a long rest there is a switching of one group of brain neuroconnections, responsible for thinking about working issues, to all kinds of other neuroconnections. By switching the emotional load, the human body recovers.

"Let's imagine, going to work after a vacation, sharply again the stream of thought will be directed along the channels of the brain, which have already dried up like a river. The stream of thoughts, like a huge stream of water, will sweep away everything on its way. In this case there will be a collapse, a deformation of neural connections, which can lead to irreversible consequences - a stress that turns into a syndrome. When there is an understanding of how your thinking system works, your actions will be conscious," explains the neuropsychologist.

We use the cyclic work of our brain system, in a sense that, during the first three days we enter the work issues smoothly, distribute the work in ascending order, which will increase the elasticity of the brain. Look for as many positive things as possible in the work environment, create a pleasant atmosphere out of any little things, and periodically remind yourself of a wonderful time on vacation.

Don't overburden yourself with mundane moments.

Free up the evenings after work for a pleasant pastime in order to extend the feeling of rest and balance a little more.

Take 3-4 weeks off, if possible.

It's great if you can take a long vacation for 3-4 weeks, especially if you have a trip planned. Then you have time to acclimatize, adjust to a new way of life - and it takes about 5-7 days.

We try to go on vacation at a quiet time without burning deadlines and large-scale projects.

Before vacation you should detail the transfer of business issues, so that during your absence your replacement staff have no problems, in addition, they will be able to continue for some time to conduct their business, and after vacation, advises Inna Anisimova, director general of the communications agency PR Partner. In addition, the head of the agency shared a little tradition of her company.

"At PR Partner it is customary to bring goodies from vacation, treat everyone in the kitchen with them, talk about the vacation and find out what happened in the agency during the absence. If the company is large, the same format can be used to get together across departments. It's easier to get in the mood for work," she says.

Treat yourself.

After you go to work, it's worth doing a little self-indulgence. And it will also have the effect of making it easier and easier to get into your normal work routine. Add walks, favorite music, books, hobbies, meetings with dear and close people to your work routine.

Act incrementally, do not squeeze all the "juice" out of yourself at once, move smoothly from less to more, and then your life will be painted in bright colors not only during the vacations, but also during the working weekdays!