We’ve all experienced the exhausted feeling of needing a vacation from our vacation. There are often two types of trips — ones that are purely for relaxation, and those that are constructed with every moment in the day planned out to fully experience, explore, and immerse. Regardless of what your plans were — to lounge on a beach in Jamaica, or visit every castle in the U.K. — you’ll need to plan for your resurgence back into life upon your return.
Here are some of our best tips to come back from your vacation feeling refreshed and ready to get back to life!
Get Your Home Ready Before, Or During Your Trip
Whether your trip is limited to two people or an entire family, there is nothing that can upend a house like getting everybody ready for a big trip. Unearthing seasonal clothes, pulling the suitcases out of the closets, and trying to find that darn beach hat you know you have — can leave your home in disarray just to pack.
If you can hire a cleaning person to do the dirty work while you’re gone, factor this into your budget, or rearrange a cleaning person you have on rotation for your time away from home. Also, take some time to purge your fridge of anything that won’t be good when you return.
Extra points if you’re able to buy a fresh carton of milk to leave unopened for your return trip (if it’s a shorter time away) to ensure your morning coffee and cereal will be waiting for you when you return. Be sure to put a hold on your mail, unless you’ll have someone come and clear your mailbox while you’re away!
Enlist Some Help
Schedule a friend or relative to stop by and check the house for any issues. If you’ve decided not to put a hold on your mail, have someone you trust check for any packages, flyers or overflowing mail to bring them inside.
Have someone water your plants, check around your home to ensure there aren’t any leaks or other stressful issues, and do a once-over to check for unlocked doors or open windows. This will help ensure you can rest peacefully while away.
Additionally, let neighbors know you will be out of town and for how long, and share a description of anyone you expect to stop by. Enlisting the help of others will mean your house remains safe and secure, and you’ll have one less concern nagging at you while you’re away.
Plan An Extra Day In, An Extra Day Out
While it may seem crazy to use up your already limited vacation time on preparation and return days, having this extra time at home can help you pack smarter at the outset, and rest up and deal with jet lag when you finally get home.
Depending on the intensity of your travel and the amount of activities you typically keep up at home (or want to enjoy during vacation), you’ll need ample prep time. Taking dogs to the kennel, signing off duties with any organizations you volunteer with, and prepping the house for a long departure can all be incredibly draining before a trip. Nevermind the day you come back — you’ll have plenty of laundry, calls to make, and jet lag to boot.
If you can spare a day or two to prepare and to return, you’ll thank yourself later. If you can afford the extra time, it can help you be more joyful in your travels to have this time to yourself and ensure you get the most out of the entire experience.
Plan A Slow, Mindful Reintroduction
Often, we lead busy lives and taking a vacation makes us feel a bit guilty, or like we’ve been a burden to those around us. Truly, taking time to see the world is a gift to yourself and to those in your life. Even if you feel you’ve left people in your life on the hook, they will be able to survive without you for a few days or weeks.
When you come back, it is vital not to jump right back into a hectic schedule and allow yourself a few days to get back into the swing of things without scheduling yourself back into stress. If possible, go through the weekend to ensure you ride the coattails of a beautiful experience and keep that “post-vacation” glow with you as much as possible.
At best, you’ll need time to reminisce about an amazing trip; at worst, you may need a few days to physically recover from jetlag and ensure you don’t get sick upon returning!
We hope these tips help you ensure you come back from vacation with your batteries fully charges — and itching for your next adventure!
