The Power of Easeful Re-Entry

William had just returned from what he referred to as “vacation”. When he described the vacation to me he said, “Well, it was actually a 4-day weekend. We traveled to another state to visit family that had just endured the loss of a loved one.”

It didn’t sound like much of a vacation to me.

I had been imagining rest, peace, and a wonderful location. That is what vacation means to me.

He went on to say, “Then on the return, our flight was delayed. We didn’t get home until the middle of the night. The next day I rushed into work and was met with a staff crisis before I could even get into my office. Emotions were high. People were on edge. And I didn’t handle things as well as I could have. I got completely sucked into the emotional pool with everyone else. They were looking for me to lead. I let them down.”

Of course he did. He showed up to work with his own emotional gas tank on empty. He had nothing left to draw on.

“My thinking wasn’t as clear as it could have been. And the rest of my day was a disaster.”

I was not surprised based on what he told me. Even for time off that is restful, it is essential that you plan how to re-enter work. Absolutely essential.

Make it a norm to plan a re-entry day.

If your plane gets you home on Sunday night, plan your first day back for Tuesday. On Monday, sleep late, do laundry, stock your pantry, open mail, catch up on time zone changes, and even take a nap. Maybe bake or pick up a yummy treat to share with colleagues as thanks for pitching in while you were away. Later in the day, scan your emails and make your plan for how you will re-enter in the morning.

Most of us feel guilty for having taken time off so we charge into work trying to pretend we weren’t actually gone. Instead, on the first morning back, have time booked to walk around, check-in with people, get a feel for the pulse, and thank those who covered for you while you were away.

The key is to walk in refreshed and grateful. Not hurried and exhausted. No meetings until after lunch.

The swift river that is work and the emotions associated with work continues to flow while you are gone. In order to successfully jump in, you must be well nourished, well rested, and well organized. Otherwise you can end up flailing, being swept away and barely able to keep your head above water, just like my client.

You may be thinking: “Who has the luxury to be so intentional?”

Or you’re thinking, “Beth is such an idealist”.

I’m not. You get to create the norms you follow. If you want less burnout and more focus, these are the types of changes you can make that actually have meaning and impact. And if you are a leader, you are in the unique position to encourage your staff to do the same.

The end result will be less drama, less chaos, and less wear and tear on yourself and those around you.

I’d love to hear how you’ll plan for easy re-entries and what differences you hope to see.