Psychologists actually have a name for the sense of sluggish malaise you feel the first Monday back after a killer holiday: It's PVS, for post-vacation syndrome. The best way to prevent it? "Set yourself up for a successful return before you leave," says Susan Krauss Whitbourne, Ph.D., professor of psychological and brain sciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Your easy plan:
Before You Go...
Book a smarter return date."Instead of flying in late Sunday, come back on Saturday to get organized," says Kathleen Hall, Ph.D., an Atlanta stress management expert to Fortune 500 companies.
Schedule catch-up time. "Put four 30-minute blocks on your calendar over the first two days to return emails and calls," says Jessica Kennedy, Ph.D., assistant professor at Vanderbilt University's Owen GraduateSchool of Management.
While You're Away...
Unplug 95 percent. "Not everyone can unplug 100 percent, so I tell clients to go for 95," says Dana Brownlee, a corporate trainer in Atlanta. "Working 5 percent on vacation is just enough to respond to emergencies or keep big projects afloat."
Scrap social media. At least consider it, says Santa Fe-based Manisha Thakor of wealth advisory firm Buckingham: "You want to experience your downtime, not document it."
When You Get Back...
Limit meetings. "Avoid them the first day back if humanly possible—it'll give you bandwidth to address any urgent situations and be able to calmly work through your vacation backlog," says Thakor.
Use your lunch break. "Vacations get us outdoors and into the fresh air," says Dan Schawbel, author of Promote Yourself: The New Rules for Career Success. "That first week, take lunch outside at least twice. It will reenergize you."
