How to get back on track after vacation

We all hate the feeling of coming back to reality after spending a vacation away from our hectic lives. Unfortunately, it’s something we have to do eventually, despite our greatest efforts to remain in paradise. Our goal is to help make your transition back into the real world as smooth as possible and hopefully defeat those inevitable post-vacay blues. Whether you’re recovering from strenuous exploring, tremendous amounts of food or simply from the high life of laying on the beach, there are some steps to help get yourself out of that holiday mindset and back to the real world. Here’s some ideas for how to get back on track after vacation.

Take a cold shower

After that ridiculously long and stressful venture back home, you’re sure to be drawn toward your bed – but try to hold off until after you’ve hopped in the shower. There’s no doubt airplanes aren’t the cleanest, and you don’t want to drag that filth around your house. Not to mention, nothing resets your mind and releases your body’s tension like a refreshingly cold shower.

Unpack your things

If this is the part of traveling you hate the most, you are not alone. It’s one of those things you wish could solve itself, but sadly, you won’t get off that easily. You could stare at those overflowing suitcases as they slowly collect dust in the corner of your room, or you could just get it over with. Unpacking can feel like getting a huge burden off your chest – you’ll feel liberated and renewed once it’s done. But before you’re all set to get back to regular life, you’ll have to put those dirty clothes in the laundry and assort the toiletries back into their designated bathroom cupboard.

Clean your apartment

Unless you thought ahead of time and cleaned your space before you left (which we always recommend), tidying up your space will kick-start your productivity. Being unproductive is just a part of vacation, so don’t beat yourself up. However, now that you’re back home, you’re going to want to step up your game. There is no better place to jump-start your productivity than cleaning your own home. That doesn’t mean you have to pull out the most intensive cleaning supplies you have (unless you want to, of course) but we do recommend organizing your space with tasks like washing the dishes or finishing the laundry.

Go grocery shopping

Depending on how long you were gone, your fridge probably won’t be stuffed with nutritious food, but rather spoiled milk and essential condiments that never seem to expire. Pack your grocery list and your sturdiest reusable bag for your trip to the grocery store. Despite your strongest temptations, try to avoid the processed snacks and head straight for the fresh fruits and veggies.

Feed your body with whole foods

Recovering from a vacation includes not only your mind but also your body. You might have given yourself a pass to go all out with the delicious meals and exotic cuisines (as one should on vacation), but your body won’t be too pleased about that in the long run. Be kind to your body and feed it with nutritious and hearty fresh foods to get it back into a healthy rhythm.

Check your email

Now, the time we have all been dreading – the overflow of work emails. While on holiday, work was probably the last thing you thought of. The whole point of going away is to take time to yourself and take a break from your work-life. However, the time of solace and peace has come to an end, and we must return to our busy, hectic lives. Get your ducks in a row by checking out your inbox to see what you missed and prioritize your tasks for getting back to work.

Create a schedule for the next week or two

You might need to work overtime to compensate for the time you took off, so making a schedule (if you don’t already) will keep you on track. Try to find a routine that works for you. Despite all the work you may have, don’t overwork yourself. Don’t forget to clock in some you-time every day, which might be reading a chapter of your favorite book, or baking some warm cookies.

Don’t beat yourself up

Whether you’re disappointed about procrastinating or eating too much on vacation, do not feel guilty about it. Checking out of reality is something necessary we all need in order to maintain sanity in such an overwhelming life. Taking a vacation is doing yourself a favor in more ways than you think, and when you get home, you’ll be more ready than ever to jump back into life fully recharged and energized.

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