Welcome back, everyone! Today, I am returning from approximately 2 weeks of “PTO” in Europe where I had super limited access to email. As a result, and as I’m sure many of you have experienced, my inbox is flooded and I am quickly attempting to organize, group tasks, and align with teammates on what I’ve missed and how I can be of help to catch myself up to speed. If you are taking a vacation this summer, planning a long PTO due to another form of leave, or otherwise behind on work tasks, look no further! Today, we are here to debrief, train, and prepare you to get back on track at work…

Playing Catch-Up!

Set a Routine: Above anything else, setting a routine that you can rely on to play catch-up will help you stay organized, timely, and productive. Whether this means breakfast, exercise, time-blocking technique, or setting up an array of meetings, any organizational tactic will prove to benefit you in the long run.
Early Wake-Ups: We know this isn’t everyone’s ideal plan, and many of us dread that 7:00 AM wake-up call. However, in the week or so (usually a time period equivalent to your break) following Thanksgiving, Christmas, the Fourth of July, etc., it will prove immensely valuable to your schedule to take back an hour of the day that you may regularly use for sleep. You’ll be surprised at your body’s ability to work hard and function even on a lower quantity of sleep over temporary time periods; this could be an especially great resource for catching up.
New Atmosphere: Just as it is easy to fall out of routine when you return home or to a place outside of your regular environment, it is just as easy to get all too comfortable in a place over time. Whether this is a coffee shop, your room, a specific library or classroom, or any working space that you’ve found, it’s almost subconscious that we start to become less focused and more comfortable in a repetitive space. For that reason, we encourage you to at least try out a new space one-time post-break and test your productivity. Sometimes all it takes is a new atmosphere to stimulate work and motivation!
Go Easy on Yourself: One last tip… always make sure to be easy on yourself after a break! There is no reason to ever regret the time you spent with loved ones or the extra sleep you caught upon. It was deserved and it was enjoyable! Allow yourself breaks and make sure to get enough sleep still so as to maintain productivity.

By allowing yourself ample time to catch up, reorganizing your routine temporarily, and supporting yourself both physically and mentally, you will be sure to catch up on any missed work in no time!

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