Transitions Matter: How to Leave and Return Without Losing Your Mind

Time off should be time off -- every day of it.

Taking time off should feel like relief, not another thing to manage. But too often, vacations (or even long weekends) become a source of stress - not because we took the time, but because we didn't plan for the transitions.

There are two parts to every break:

• How you prepare to leave

• How you prepare to return

  
  

Skip either, and you're likely to come back more frazzled than refreshed.

Before You Go: Give Yourself a Buffer

Here’s what I coach my clients to do before a break:

1. Block a half-day buffer before you leave to wrap up loose ends. Not for meetings. Not for last-minute firefighting. Just space to get clear.

2. Hand off critical responsibilities clearly. That means more than an email. It's a conversation, especially if others are covering for you.

3. Set expectations about your availability. Better yet, set the expectation that you're not available.

4. Leave a brain-dump note for future-you. Nothing fancy. Just a "when you get back, here's where things stand" cheat sheet.

5. Use your out-of-office message to direct people to the right contact, not just to say you're gone.

   
   

When You Return: Don’t Go Full Throttle

Most people make the mistake of jumping right back into meetings on their first day back. Here's a better way:

1. Buffer your re-entry day. No meetings if possible. Block time to review what you missed, scan your calendar, and reset.

2. Plan your email triage instead of drowning in your inbox. Give yourself an hour, not the whole day.

3. Reconnect with key people before jumping into tasks. Get context. Rebuild momentum.

4. Bring something restorative back with you. That morning walk, the slower breakfast, the no-phone hour. What made you feel good while you were away?

   
   

Why It Matters

Your vacation doesn't begin when you close your laptop. It starts when your mind lets go of the mental tabs. And your productivity doesn’t restart the moment you log back in, it ramps up when you feel clear and centered.

One of my clients who implemented this transition strategy said it changed everything. She came back feeling less resentful, more focused, and even got praise from her team for how smoothly things ran without her. That's leadership.

You don’t have to work harder to rest well. You just need to lead yourself through the in-between (you know, we call that "the messy middle").

Reflection Prompt: How do you want to feel at the end of your next time away & what needs to happen to make that possible?