5 Ways to Return From Vacation and Not Be Totally Bummed

I've been away from my office for about 10 days for a work conference and some vacation time.

Over the years, I've interviewed many experts on how to return to work from time away without feeling completely overwhelmed and even a little depressed. Combined with my own experience, I put together some suggestions on how you can return from vacation without having a complete meltdown.

Some suggestions:

1. Check in with colleagues. If someone covered for you, immediately send an email or talk to the person directly to offer a sincere thank-you. Ask about any problems or concerns that need to be addressed today. What can wait until tomorrow or even later in the week? Don't try to solve all problems today -- prioritize what can wait or you're quickly going to be overwhelmed.

2. Revisit your calendar. What's on tap for this week? If you've got meetings your first day back, quickly review emails or other notes so that you refresh your memory about key issues. The same thing applies if you've got conference calls or one-on-one time with your boss or team members.

3. Set mini deadlines. The great thing about vacations is the lack of deadlines and the feeling that your time truly is your own. But when you return to work, you're faced with new deadlines that can quickly weigh you down. Instead, set mini-deadlines that won't seem so overwhelming. For example, set a timer for 15 minutes and use that time to go through your emails. This will get you to quickly delete junk mail, file "to read later" items and prioritize critical emails. Once the timer goes off, take a break. Go get a cup or coffee or put on music that reminds you of your vacation. Dividing your day up into smaller chunks will help ease you back into your work demands.

4. Stick with your good habits. If you've always sat at your desk and eaten lunch while watching YouTube or going through emails, that's a habit you probably broke while on vacation. What did you do instead? Perhaps savor your lunch or people watch or just sit quietly and breathe? Those are the things that you should not abandon and will help you strike a better balance in your life. Hang onto those vacation habits.

5. Don't whine. I've noticed that I can start to get a bit cranky when I first return from vacation. The office is too loud. The traffic is horrible. I've learned that instead of whining about such things, I instead try to remember favorite times from my vacation -- that evening by the lake when the sunset was perfect, the time spent laughing with family and even that little diner with great pancakes. When you start whining about your the realities of life, then you push yourself further away from those wonderful vacation memories. Focus on what you gained from your time away, and refuse to let it be diminished by dumb stuff.