Back from vacation? Don’t miss these tips!

Many of us return from Easter vacations having been able to disconnect, at least from the daily routine, work, and the autopilot of everyday life. Now that we come back more relaxed and energized, it's a good time to ask ourselves this question:

How did it go?

When we take breaks to rest before getting back into the routine, it's a good time for reflection. I would like you to answer these questions so that mentally, you can reflect on how your vacation was:

• What did you enjoy the most about these vacations? Think about what you truly enjoyed, those "wow" moments that made you smile. Pause for a moment before continuing to read, think about everything you did that you savored, the company, the energy…

• Were you able to disconnect from work? You may have checked a message or email here and there, but... did you have a feeling of true disconnection? Being able to breathe, not checking your phone much, etc.

• Were you able to do what you truly wanted to do, considering family or friends?

• Did you watch your excesses? We all know when we overindulged in eating, drinking, etc.

• Did you rest? Our body appreciates rest. If you were running around visiting places and came back more tired than when you left... that's not resting, even if you disconnected and had a great time.

• How did you sleep? Sleeping helps us reset, regenerate the body, and boost our energy levels.

• You can expand this list of questions with any that come to your mind. The important thing is that you take stock, reflect on how you felt mentally and physically during and after the vacation.

  
  

The idea is that if you go on vacation, you should be able to disconnect, feel better, full of energy, and have a desire to do things, to feel positive. If you think about your vacation and the moments you spent with family or friends, you should light up. If that's the case, great, but if there's something that bothered you, something you couldn't enjoy because of something or someone, it's time to reflect and decide what you can do differently for the next one. Here are some tips to create an improvement plan to take your next vacation to a higher level of personal enjoyment:

• Respecting others, consider what you want and what you would like to do. It's not about imposing, but sharing what you'd like to do, involving others in what's important to you. For example: if you need some time to relax, a nap, going out with friends, a walk alone or with someone, etc.

• If you've overindulged in food, drinks, smoking... It's normal to give ourselves some "treats" because we're on vacation. The red flag comes when guilt hits upon returning. For the next vacation, try to be more conscious of how you’ll feel upon your return if you let yourself go with the excesses.

• Disconnecting isn’t always easy, depending on responsibilities. But no matter how big and important they are… these are your vacations, respect yourself, your free time, and those who are with you.

These are just a few examples. Reflection helps us improve; simply, before starting the next vacation, think about how you feel before going and how you want to return. To come back refreshed and energized, there are things that are important to you: share them, identify what makes you happy, what you like to do, and what will really make you return with energy and a desire to start a new phase. You know... reflection, planning, and... action! The next vacation is just around the corner.

Image by Freepik

Melinda Sánchez Coach

www.melindasanchezcoach.com