Ask HN: How do you bounce back after vacation?

7 points·chrisfrantz··6 comments

Hey HN, I recently took the first vacation since the beginning of the pandemic. We had a kid during 2020 and that plus the virus kept us working and indoors.

I took a week long vacation and feel great, but I’m having a ton of trouble getting back into the swing of things at work. I’m finding myself just staring more than working.

Any tips on how to get back into work again?

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First create a task list.

basic, but stay with me...

Then before you start the first item, tell yourself that this is gonna suck. It's going to be the worst thing you've ever done. You're not going to enjoy it. But you're going to do it anyway

And then fight like hell through the task. Try it, it works. (N=1)

Come up with an easy task (or list of tasks) for you to do the following morning before you end your work for the day and write it down.

Then, the following morning, do it.

Take good notes before you go.

A week off is always followed by an off week. - An old boss of mine.

It means you didn't take enough of a vacation :D

Start with the smallest task possible, block distractions for the first hour while you get up to speed and reassess priorities, take advantage of the break in routine to build better work habits. Lastly, remember that it’s OK to feel a bit down and rest (some tips - https://ivypanda.com/blog/how-to-rest-effectively/) if you need on your first day back to work. Being productive at work is a marathon, not a sprint.

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