Get Back to Work — and Like It!

Seeing a screen saver of your best vacation photo can help you get through the work day.

By Polly Brewster

If you’re dreading the transition from relaxing vacation to stressful workweek, try these tips for beating your back-to-the-office blues.

1. Return with New, Happy Memories

At the end of your vacation, “create a screen saver of the best photo,” says Mary Cantando, author of The Woman’s Advantage: 20 Women Entrepreneurs Show You What It Takes to Grow Your Business (Kaplan Business, 2006). “Seeing that photo from time to time will re-energize you.”

2. Get Your Concentration Back

“A very simple exercise is to try reading upside down,” says Carol Vorderman, author of Super Brain: 100 Easy Ways to a More Agile Mind (Gotham, 2007). “Take your morning newspaper, turn it upside down and start to read. You’ll find that your brain is going to have to focus. It’s a peculiarly rigorous exercise.”

3. Give Yourself Something to Look Forward To

Don’t allow the summer to be the sole time you take off and enjoy yourself. “Three-day weekends, weeklong vacations at home, destination vacations and even a sabbatical should all be a part of your rest and relaxation repertoire,” says Valorie Burton, author of How Did I Get So Busy? (WaterBrook Press, 2007).

What helps you get back into the groove after vacation?