PVS - Pre/Post vacation Syndrome

Still coming down from the recent vacation...

It seems to me that I always suffer from PVS, Pre and Post Vacation Syndrome. Let me explain. See if this sounds familiar ...

Pre Vacation Syndrome

So, its the week before vacation. Of course, the world doesn't stop while your on vacation either. The emails keep pouring in. Meetings continue to be scheduled for you, regardless of the fact that your "online calendar" shows that you are unavailable. So, you scramble to get all your ducks in a row; change the voicemail message; turn on the out of office assistant in email; get people to cover important meeting for you, etc.

Let's not forget all the planning and logistics on the home front. The mail, the pets, the house, the packing, trying to whittle down the list of "gadgets" and gear and their chargers.

So by the time the vacation starts you really need it due to the stress of getting ready for the vacation.

I have gotten much better at winding down and letting it all go once I'm at the vacation destination, or the last leg of the flight in the recent case. I still get chastised by friends and family for checking email on vacation. But now, I really just monitor it and really only reply to friends and family. Come to think of it, why are they sending me emails when they know I'm on vacation?

Post Vacation Syndrome

Ok, so now it's time to return from vacation. Can't believe it's over already! You had back with the euphoric silly grin on your face. Feeling refreshed physically and mentally.

My former boss used to wait for me when I returned. Usually welcome was "Have a nice vacation? Nice and relaxed? I can fix that!" Now by boss is remote from my location. Still sort of the same effect, but not quite so "in your face" with it.

It's now more my staff that has this effect. The larger the staff, the more issues, right? All the things they didn't want to bother me with while I was away are lined up waiting for attention. I've learned over the years to ease back into work, for the sake of my sanity and my wife's. Emails, well they can wait. Voicemails, they knew I was out when the left it. Let's just start with today's emails.

Well that works for the first hour or two. Then the daily grind kicks in with meetings andconferencee calls and a relentless stream of emails with their little reminders demanding attention. Usually, by the end of the second day vacation is a distant memory. Gone is the euphoria. Gone is the silly grin. Ah, but the memories remain.

I usually like to change my background to a recent picture just to remind myself I was on vacation.
Looking forward to planning the next one already even with the pre and post vacation syndrome.