A few weeks ago, Scott wrote about what it was like to leave a small business for vacation, both in terms of the prep work and the necessity of actually taking time off. I took his advice to heart, and took my own vacation to Hawaii, which was—and has always been—the paradise it’s hyped up to be.
But then you come back, and the cruel realization that the rest of your professional world hasn’t been on vacation hits you like a hangover—it’s immediate, often gets worse as the morning progresses and lasts for at least a full day. There’s no slowly tapering off your vacation at a small business—you go from day off to day on when the clock strikes 8:30 a.m. (or 6:30 a.m. if you’re like me and the email anticipation proves to great to wait until you’re at your desk).
I found the transition slightly less abrupt by cheating on my vacation a bit—a quick, daily check of my work email ensured that I at least had a subject-line familiarity with what was happening back at the office, and could read and respond to any urgent emails. Even though I did this from the comfort of my lounge chair, some still feel this is too invasive for vacation—and I don’t blame them. But it does help to cushion the blow.
Otherwise, it’s best to just come back ready to go. Meet with your colleagues regarding what happened while you were gone and what the immediate action items are, so you can tackle your to-do list with knowledge, purpose and a sense of priority. Moping that your vacation is over won’t sit well with your colleagues that spent the last week covering for your absence, and it won’t make the work get done any faster. Mourn after office hours to people who are willing to hear it (maybe your vacation partner, or just a really empathetic friend).
Above all, be grateful you had the opportunity to go on vacation…and a job to come back to. And if you’re really that miserable to come back, maybe your vacation hangover isn’t the problem—maybe your job is. But for me, it’s time to get back to work!
-Dianne McKay