We’ve all been there. The struggle of getting back to daily routine after a glorious vacation is real.

Back in the day, when I had a 9-5, there was no choice of returning to work full force after going on vacation. But now, being an entrepreneur, it’s a bit different.

I’m not saying it’s harder because realistically it’s easier. Let’s face it, everything is much better when you’re your own boss!

However, there are still some challenges to be faced. Even though I really love what I do for a living right now, it’s still difficult for me to get back to the groove of working after I travel. That’s mainly because I love to travel so much!

After my recent trip to Italy, all I wanted to do was to re-pack my suitcase with fresh clothes and travel somewhere new again. But of course, we all know that unless we win the lottery, we still have to work in order to do that.

So as challenging as it was, I had to find a way to get back to doing my work with enthusiasm again. And I wanted to share with you some tips that helped me “recover” faster.

1. BE EASY ON YOURSELF & OWN YOUR FREEDOM

First, if you’re already a full-time entrepreneur, own it. Take advantage of the freedom that doesn’t come with a 9-5 job. Give yourself some extra time to relax and get over the jetlag you might be experiencing.  Don’t guilt-trip yourself for not working a full-time schedule right away (like I did).

I admit I was totally hard on myself for taking a little extra time to rest the first week after I returned home. But then a friend said, “Aren’t you self-employed? Isn’t the point of it to be kind to yourself and enjoy life more?” Umm yes! She was absolutely right. So I changed my perspective.

I decided my world wasn’t going to blow up if I took that one week to sort of just chill and ease into work again.

By the way, if you’re still in a JOB, look at this as motivation to get your business going sooner. Imagine the freedom you’ll enjoy! Plus, in the meantime, you can still be kind to yourself and do some extra self-care whenever you get a chance.

2. CREATE A NEW PLAN

After you get back from traveling, it can be difficult to decide what to work on first. So I advise that you sit down one day and just focus on creating a new plan for yourself. Get out your favourite scheduling app (or a paper planner) and start planning your tasks. I personally use Google Calendar to schedule all my activities and I love it. But use whatever works best for you.

It might be helpful to first go over your goals again just for a fresh reminder. Then prioritize what you need to get done first and start scheduling those tasks in your calendar. As my favourite mentor, Marie Forleo says, “If it’s not scheduled, it’s not real.”

Having a new game plan mapped out will help motivate you to work on your business again. You might even be looking forward to getting it all done!

3. PLAN YOUR NEXT VACATION!

Ahh… doing this makes me so happy. Just knowing that there’s more to come in the near future makes me feel so much better.

First and foremost, I remind myself to express gratitude for the new travel experience I just had. I re-live it in my mind by going through all my vacation photos. I think fondly of my memories and display the souvenirs I brought back to my home as a reminder that I’ve been there!

Then, I tell myself that it’s not over. In my mind, I already start to plan my next vacation so that I have something big to look forward to again.

I hope this helps you get back into your routine after vacation. And if you have any other tips you’d like to share, I’d love to hear them! Just comment below. :)