July in the Alps. Jacket, umbrella, pouring rain.

July in the Alps. Jacket, umbrella, pouring rain.

Not exactly the sunny mountain holiday I had planned. But as I was finishing a short family hike during a ray of sunshine, I knew. 

I couldn't control the weather. But I could control what I did with the day.

Fast forward to this week. Back to work, things piling, and that familiar post-vacation panic kicking in.

 

Then I remembered that rainy day in the Alps.

The same story: I can't control what's waiting for me after vacation. But I can control how I show up to it.

Here's what actually works for me when you're staring at post-vacation chaos:

→ Pick three things. Not ten. Three.

→ Block the first two mornings for email triage only

→ Leave the out-of-office reply a bit longer on. Breathe.

→ Accept that some balls will drop (and that's okay)

The leaders I coach who handle transitions best? They treat returning from vacation like any other change project. They prepare, they prioritize, they align and they give themselves permission to ease back in.

Because trying to jump from vacation mode to superhero mode in one day is like expecting sunshine just because you packed shorts.

What's your strategy for the first day back from vacation?

#change #VacationMode

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