How to Find Your Focus and Flow Again After Time Away
Vacations and time off are key for our physical and mental health. They allow us to step back, gain perspective, have fun, rest, and reset. Maybe you get to visit your favorite people and places. Maybe you spend the time diving into a neglected hobby or passion. Or maybe you spend the time just relaxing and enjoying a slower pace.
No matter what time off looks like for you, eventually, we all return to our regularly-scheduled programming. We come back to the clients, meetings, emails, and daily tasks that make up our days. Sometimes we’re excited to return and make the transition back with ease. Other times...well...it may take a bit. So, let’s talk about how to transition back to work from a break to minimize the overwhelm and struggle and gain that flow again.
1. Make a Plan
As we’re coming up on time off, it can be easy to assume that we’ll have the same focus and energy once we get back. I’ve found that, oftentimes, it takes a few days to get back in the swing of things. While on vacation, we’ve broken that momentum we had been building. Our focus has shifted to a different area of our lives. Those regular meetings and client sessions aren’t front of mind anymore.
As you prepare for a return from time away, here are some questions to ask yourself:
What should my first day look like? Do I start with a full day of work or ease back in with just a few hours?
How can I make the transition as easy for myself as possible? What are activities/tasks that I can add to my day that bring me focus and motivation? What easy, clear instructions can I leave for myself so that I can get up to speed faster?
What non-essential tasks can I take off my schedule until I’m ready for them again?
2. Add in Extra Space
I talk a lot with my clients about the importance of white space in your regular schedule. It adds a cushion when tasks take longer than expected or unplanned urgent things pop up. It also gives you some breathing room to stretch and give your mind and body a break.
When you’re coming back from time away, this is more important than ever. Think of an athlete in training. They push their muscles and endurance in a certain way every day. If they were to take a break from that training routine, they would require extra recovery time for a few days as their muscles readjusted to the level of activity again.
Even if your break was just for a few days, in that time, you’ve broken your regular routine. It takes some time for your mind and body to adjust back to the level of focus you had before the break. If you can, let that extra white space act as your recovery time until you’re fully back to where you were before.
3. Be Patient with Yourself
Especially as entrepreneurs, we expect a lot from ourselves. We follow through. We show up. We do our best. When we’re coming back from time away, sometimes our expectations for ourselves can be a little unrealistic. I’ve done it myself.
A few years ago, I took a three-week vacation abroad with my family. It was both amazing and exhausting. Before I left on that trip, I filled my week back with all kinds of meetings and appointments. I made the assumption that I would return to work with the same focus I currently had. I also assumed that the time away would inspire me to even greater levels of drive and motivation. I would hit the ground running and be able to go right back into not only a normal, full schedule but also the start of a launch.
When I did return from that trip, I was tired. I was jetlagged. I needed time to catch up to all that had happened while I was gone. I needed time to fulfil basic needs like extra sleep and going grocery shopping. Unfortunately, I hadn’t planned that time for myself. Instead, I was overwhelmed and stressed trying to find my bearings again. As a result, I was less effective than I had hoped. I stumbled through an interview with no clear picture of what I was saying. I took twice as long to put together marketing material for my launch because I struggled to focus and find my rhythm.
And I was frustrated. Frustrated with myself for not rising to the challenge. For not being that better version of myself I expect me to be.
What if instead I had planned a week of rest, recovery, and easing back into daily life? What if I had waited to schedule that interview and that launch for a time when I could do a better job? What if I had had some compassion for myself? What if I had understood that the bar needed to be a little lower for a few days?
Don’t forget: rest is not laziness. A slower pace doesn’t equal wasted time. Be patient with yourself as you get back up to speed. You may even find your focus and flow a little faster by showing yourself a little compassion.
Something in the way of finding your focus and motivation? Check out Holiday Aftershock & Productivity.
