When we go away on vacations, we usually never consider how you’re going to feel once it’s all over. We’ve all felt that moment when we get back home from vacation, and wish we didn’t have to move a finger and could just go back to the paradise you were just in. So, are we always destined to come back to our real life and feel out of place? No, that’s not necessarily the case. To avoid the infamous vacation fatigue all you have to do is prepare yourself before you leave. Here’s how you can do that.
Plan your return
Clean up before
Before you leave make sure you clean up and leave everything as organized as possible, that includes your home and office. Do as much as you can, so change the sheets on your bed, wash every single dish, empty out your inbox, and do everything else you think will help you get back and only have to deal with the vacation mess.
Plan ahead one more day
When planning your vacation be sure you leave at least one day to vacation from your vacation. Even one day will make the difference and allow you to adjust back to your routine, instead of just jumping right in without being ready.
Leave only the necessary
You don’t want to come back to rotting food, or a completely empty fridge, so be sure to go to the market and buy things that can outlast your vacation and that at the same time can be great to eat when you get back.
Plan something to look forward to
Even before leaving consider the blues you might get when you return home and go back to your routine. Consider leaving something that you will be looking forward to like a lifestyle change or challenge, a new project or even just something as simple as a party with friends or dinner plan with extended family.
During your vacation
Watch out for sleep habits
Especially if you are travelling with children, controlling and returning to normal sleep cycles will be a critical. During the vacation you and your kids will probably be staying up later than usual, but as the days get closer to coming back home you should begin a transition that will allow them and you to get back home and spend sleepless nights, while knowing you have to get up early the next day.
Enjoy the good and the bad
While you’re on vacation we always expect the fairytale version of it, but in reality we know some things may go wrong. Don’t let this bring you down, which will make you feel even more tired once you get back.
Make your trip part of your life
This trip will have in fact changed you, given you a new perspective on life, people, culture and in general yourself. So, why not bring back something from that trip that can remind you of that little piece that you want to incorporate in your life.
Once you get back
Image courtesy of Steven Mileham at Flickr.com
First day back
On your first day back be sure to arrive one hour earlier. You know you’ll have a full inbox, and tons of things to catch up on, so by arriving a little early you can take your time and prioritize. Of course, you’ll have a lot on your plate, but filter and make sure you begin with the most critical activities and tasks, and work your way down from there.
Clean up after
Once you get back, your new best friend should be your laundry room. Take all that dirty clothes and wash it straight when you get back. While your clothes is washing, you can start getting your house back to normal, turning the thermostat back to normal and just simply looking around everything is right where you left it.
Let it give you a boost
On vacations you’re usually eating out a lot, staying up late, not working out and doing everything else you shouldn’t be doing. So, take this opportunity to have a fresh start when you get back. Start that diet, do exercise and organize your sleep patterns.
Schedule your meals
You may be tempted to eat at anytime, or just when you’re hungry. By setting up an alarm and reminding you to eat at the right times you’ll fit into any time zone. It will definitely make travelling between time zones easier and keep you on track with healthy habits.
Image courtesy of Ignacio Garcia at Flickr.com
Dealing with jetlag
Prepare to deal with jetlag when getting back to your normal life. There are many theories out there as to how to do this like “earthing”, which is simply kicking off your shoes and walking around barefoot. Others deal with jetlag, by simply keeping hydrated or by eating lighter than usual on the flight.