After being on such a wonderful vacation for over 3-weeks, this article seemed extremely relevant.

Back to the Office Blahs

How to avoid a post-vacation letdown.

By Jim Owen

Now that summer vacations are in full swing, so is a malady familiar to nearly every worker that takes them: post vacation blues. It's happened to all of us, that kind of short-term sadness and letdown that accompanies going back to the office after a wonderful sojourn to Europe, a trip to the beach or the mountains, or just hanging out at home with the kids for a week.

The syndrome doesn't just affect the returning vacationers. It can also be a drag on workplace productivity, and a downer for co-workers who aren't eager to hear war stories about great holidays, according to the American Management Association.

There are a number of ways to avoid the problem, however, beginning with perhaps the most obvious--scheduling vacations to end on a Thursday or Friday, so you'll have a weekend to readjust.

"The worst thing is when you come back late on a Sunday night and then have to plunge right back into it," explains a trade association professional in Washington, D.C.

Still another solution is to avoid long, two-week holidays in favor of shorter jaunts. Some people even limit themselves to long weekends, or just two or three days away from the office.

But if you're determined to go on a big trip, there are some ways to avoid tanking on your first day back, says Barry Lawrence, a spokesman for Bell Atlantic in Washington, DC. "Try to avoid putting too much pressure on yourself that first day back," he says. "Take a deep breath. Re-orient yourself before jumping right back into the deep end. Otherwise, you'll end up feeling really overwhelmed."

Lawrence recommends taking several hours that first morning to build a "task list" you can use to determine which things really need immediate attention and which can wait a bit.

Here are some other tips:

Try to finish major projects before you leave for your vacation. Otherwise, you'll face a mountain of last-minute details when you return to the office. Log some overtime if necessary to wrap up big jobs so you won't feel guilty on vacation.
Call up co-workers ahead of time to get a flavor of what's been happening in the office so you won't feel so out of the loop when you return. Be sure to check your voicemail and, if possible, even your e-mail once or twice during your absence so you won't be surprised by major developments. (Some experts disagree on this strategy, arguing that checking messages defeats the very purpose of a vacation.)
Try to get your vacation "out of your system" early by telling family, friends and co-workers about your trip before you go back to the office. Get your film developed quickly and try not to obsess about your pictures and souvenirs at the office.
Don't try to accomplish too much your first day back. Build your momentum slowly by focusing on one task at a time, and then ratcheting back up to speed.
And finally, remember that post-vacation blues are nearly always a temporary malady.