I really wish I was one of those people (like my husband) who unpacks their suitcase the day they get home and jumps back into life after a good night’s sleep and a strong cup of coffee.
But I’m not.
I always go through a period of feeling really blahhhhh in re-entry. Of not wanting to let go of where I just was.
After my most recent trip the blahs hit me about a week after flying home. It’s not like I couldn’t get out of bed; I was just sad that I wasn’t abroad and I had zero desire to tackle my to-do list.
I’ve finally accepted that I need time and space to transition back into life after being away – even if I’ve only been away a couple weeks. I ignored this need for many years and ended up exhausted, stressed out, and unhappy.
Before my recent trip to the UK I decided to do things differently. This time I created a mini re-entry relaunch plan:
- I flew home on a Friday so I’d have the weekend to get over jet lag.
- I postponed a couple projects and meetings so I could spend my first week back focusing on the ones that needed my immediate attention. This enabled me to get organized, complete my projects, and facilitate a weekend workshop without spreading myself too thin.
- I gave myself permission to relax. I got lots of sleep, watched a lot of Hulu, and spent lots of time reconnecting with my family.
It wasn’t long before I woke up one morning refreshed and renewed. The re-entry blahhhhs were gone.
Take-away
If you get the re-entry blahs consider creating a mini re-entry relaunch plan before your next stint abroad. Here are three simple questions that will help you create your plan:
- How do you experience re-entry?
- How can you best take care of yourself?
- How can you ensure that you’ll take care of yourself?
What’s a piece of your re-entry plan?
photo credit: WilliamMarlow via photopin cc
