Monday Musings -- Labor & Leisure

We find ourselves at another holiday weekend, and the unofficial end of the summer.

Those with school-aged children are either a week or two into the new school year, or tomorrow it starts in earnest. We have one child at home still in school, albeit Graduate School and he's commuting the ten minutes to campus each day.

I digress as I reflect a little on my wife and I having no more "kids" in school come this next May. That reality will impact our labor and leisure schedules.

Ah yes, it often is challenging being back to work following a great vacation. Alas, vacations don't last forever, unless you're completely retired.

Getting back to the routine can be difficult that first day or two (or five!).

For many, many years now, whenever we've been on vacation, not a staycation like during the Pandemic, rather when we've actually packed the car, or taken that flight, or series of planes, trains, and automobiles somewhere, we like to return home with some reset and recovery time baked in.

Typically, I like to get home with a day or two to unpack, unwind, and get back into the routine. Rarely will we run or return home the day prior to going back to the office.

Here's one area where I have slight disagreement with the author of the linked piece below and her select summarization following my notes.

Ease back in by easing back in at home rather than at work. Sure, nothing wrong with setting that first morning, or day, back as a not overly packed schedule if your position or post affords that opportunity.

For about five years now, I have Monday mornings entirely blocked off to read, reset, and ready myself for the week ahead.

That became a very useful practice to giving myself strategic reading, writing, and preparation time rather than trying to be "lazy" the first workday of my week.

If you borrow that same practice, then easing back in, as it were, is just part of your routine anyway.

Restating my slight disagreement; ease back from your vacation into your regular life rather than impacting your employer, your clients, your customers (both internal and external).

Many of my last several positions?were not conducive to "easing back in". The expectations and necessity of my work wouldn't have allowed me a couple days to "get fully back to work".

Knowing that to be true, we planned and programmed that time into the number of vacation days.

Take time off! That's an incredibly important part of maintaining life harmony and recharging all parts and pillars of our spiritual, physical, mental, and social resilience.

Think through the vacation and return to be able to your best self when you go back to work following your vacation.

Returning to Work After a Great Vacation by Rebecca Knight

Your summer vacation was bliss: mornings at the beach, impromptu ice cream stops, and afternoons lost in a good book. But now you’re back at your desk, facing a mountain of messages and emails, and your vacation joy is fading. How can you regain momentum at work?

Ease back in. Expect the first days back to be tough. Set reasonable expectations and plan your reentry in advance. Leave extra time for your commute to reduce stress and be strategic about scheduling meetings. Start with small, manageable tasks to build momentum gradually.

Reconnect with what you love about work. Think about why you chose your job in the first place. Identify the parts you enjoy and prioritize them. This could be anything from brainstorming sessions to client interactions. Focusing on what brings you joy can rekindle your motivation.

Shift your perspective. Work and leisure aren’t mutually exclusive. Recognize that your job provides the means for your vacations and downtime. Embrace the idea that being productive can complement your personal life and contribute to your overall well-being.

Reassess if necessary. If you’re still struggling after a few weeks, consider whether the job is still right for you. Vacations offer time for reflection. If you find yourself unhappy, explore other options—without making impulsive decisions.

The above HBR Tip of the Day is adapted from the full article found here: Post-Vacation Blues? Here’s How to Cope. ( hbr.org )