1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:09,319 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning, 2 00:00:10,840 --> 00:00:16,600 Speaker 1: This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's 3 00:00:16,600 --> 00:00:20,919 Speaker 1: tip is to prepare for a smooth reentry before you 4 00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:24,640 Speaker 1: head out of town. Planning for re entry will help 5 00:00:24,680 --> 00:00:27,240 Speaker 1: make sure that the relaxed vibe you bring back from 6 00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:33,080 Speaker 1: vacation lasts a little longer instead of being eclipsed by 7 00:00:33,120 --> 00:00:38,600 Speaker 1: a harried return to normal life. So from time to time, 8 00:00:38,760 --> 00:00:41,120 Speaker 1: I hear from people who say it isn't worth it 9 00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:45,280 Speaker 1: to take time off because returning to their various obligations 10 00:00:45,280 --> 00:00:50,080 Speaker 1: after time away feels so exhausting. And I get that 11 00:00:51,280 --> 00:00:54,800 Speaker 1: nobody likes to come back to a ridiculous inbox and 12 00:00:54,920 --> 00:00:59,240 Speaker 1: no clean laundry, particularly if a flight delay means you're 13 00:00:59,280 --> 00:01:03,240 Speaker 1: home later that you planned. But coming back to chaos 14 00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:08,120 Speaker 1: and never going on vacation are not your only two options. 15 00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:13,679 Speaker 1: A third option is to take vacation time and before 16 00:01:13,720 --> 00:01:19,000 Speaker 1: you go, prepare for a smooth return. There are a 17 00:01:19,040 --> 00:01:23,160 Speaker 1: few potential sources of post vacation chaos that a little 18 00:01:23,200 --> 00:01:26,759 Speaker 1: advanced planning can help you with. On the household front, 19 00:01:26,800 --> 00:01:28,840 Speaker 1: I know that some people actually come back a day 20 00:01:28,959 --> 00:01:31,640 Speaker 1: earlier than they need to, in order to do all 21 00:01:31,680 --> 00:01:35,600 Speaker 1: the laundry and grocery shop. That is one solution, but 22 00:01:35,800 --> 00:01:38,720 Speaker 1: if you don't get that much vacation time, I don't 23 00:01:38,720 --> 00:01:41,039 Speaker 1: want you to feel like you have to cut things short. 24 00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:45,760 Speaker 1: Another option is that when you are packing, you pull 25 00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:49,440 Speaker 1: out one to two outfits for everyone to lay out 26 00:01:49,840 --> 00:01:52,680 Speaker 1: for your first day or two back. Now, you may 27 00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:55,400 Speaker 1: discover that someone doesn't actually own enough socks to make 28 00:01:55,440 --> 00:01:58,559 Speaker 1: that possible, but hey, if you are doing this before 29 00:01:58,600 --> 00:02:03,640 Speaker 1: your trip, you could order some socks. Amazon will have 30 00:02:03,680 --> 00:02:07,160 Speaker 1: them there for you when you return. If everyone has 31 00:02:07,280 --> 00:02:11,000 Speaker 1: two outfits ready to go, then no one needs to 32 00:02:11,040 --> 00:02:13,520 Speaker 1: do laundry until a day or two after you get back. 33 00:02:14,760 --> 00:02:18,760 Speaker 1: That buys you time. Now, if you are the one 34 00:02:18,800 --> 00:02:20,680 Speaker 1: who does all the laundry and you are headed out 35 00:02:20,720 --> 00:02:25,040 Speaker 1: of town without your family, will first congratulations enjoy the 36 00:02:25,080 --> 00:02:28,680 Speaker 1: break from doing laundry. It might be worth having a 37 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:32,840 Speaker 1: special conversation with whoever will be with your family, whether 38 00:02:32,880 --> 00:02:36,200 Speaker 1: that's your partner, a grandparent, or a sitter, about doing 39 00:02:36,240 --> 00:02:41,040 Speaker 1: everyone's wash at least once in your absence. Don't assume 40 00:02:41,960 --> 00:02:47,120 Speaker 1: be straightforward, as in, please do everyone's laundry on Thursday. 41 00:02:47,639 --> 00:02:50,880 Speaker 1: Thank you. If you don't think that will happen. Well, 42 00:02:51,200 --> 00:02:53,600 Speaker 1: go ahead and pull out two outfits for your kids 43 00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:57,040 Speaker 1: and yourself for the two days after your return. Squirrel 44 00:02:57,080 --> 00:03:00,520 Speaker 1: them away somewhere so no one wears them. Are ready. 45 00:03:01,800 --> 00:03:05,359 Speaker 1: Groceries can be another sore point. Think through the food 46 00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:07,560 Speaker 1: you might need for the day or two after your return. 47 00:03:08,480 --> 00:03:11,160 Speaker 1: One easy option is to order groceries for pickup or 48 00:03:11,160 --> 00:03:14,360 Speaker 1: delivery right after you get home. You might also have 49 00:03:14,440 --> 00:03:18,600 Speaker 1: plans for things that don't actually require new groceries. Pasta 50 00:03:18,639 --> 00:03:20,760 Speaker 1: and a jar of sauce from your pantry plus a 51 00:03:20,760 --> 00:03:23,520 Speaker 1: frozen veggie that you can heat up can easily be 52 00:03:23,600 --> 00:03:26,280 Speaker 1: dinner even if you've been gone for a week or more. 53 00:03:27,320 --> 00:03:30,000 Speaker 1: Keep pizza dough in your freezer and canned soups in 54 00:03:30,040 --> 00:03:33,560 Speaker 1: your pantry, and now you can have soup and fresh 55 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:37,520 Speaker 1: bread for a meal when you bake that dough. Add 56 00:03:37,560 --> 00:03:39,680 Speaker 1: in some frozen veggies to the soup to make them 57 00:03:39,680 --> 00:03:44,400 Speaker 1: healthier and wow, sounding fairly nice. If your kids normally 58 00:03:44,440 --> 00:03:48,040 Speaker 1: bring packed lunches to school, well, the first two days 59 00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:50,920 Speaker 1: after a vacation are a great opportunity to try out 60 00:03:50,960 --> 00:03:54,760 Speaker 1: the school lunch offerings and take this off your to 61 00:03:54,800 --> 00:03:59,360 Speaker 1: do list. Both work and family activities can also be 62 00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:04,160 Speaker 1: a big source of stress, So before you go, look 63 00:04:04,200 --> 00:04:07,760 Speaker 1: at the week after your return. What do you have 64 00:04:07,840 --> 00:04:11,040 Speaker 1: coming up? If you've got a big meeting at work 65 00:04:11,040 --> 00:04:13,600 Speaker 1: two days after your return, you will feel less rushed 66 00:04:13,960 --> 00:04:17,120 Speaker 1: if you do some of the preparation before your vacation, 67 00:04:18,320 --> 00:04:20,960 Speaker 1: including sending anything you need to your colleagues so they 68 00:04:20,960 --> 00:04:24,920 Speaker 1: can prepare in your absence. Your family calendar should also 69 00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:28,599 Speaker 1: have anything impending on it too, so look ahead to 70 00:04:28,640 --> 00:04:32,640 Speaker 1: the week post vacation and deal with anything that could 71 00:04:32,680 --> 00:04:36,760 Speaker 1: be a crisis. Order that present for your kids friend's party. 72 00:04:37,960 --> 00:04:40,479 Speaker 1: Make sure you have located the racket and shoes for 73 00:04:40,560 --> 00:04:44,640 Speaker 1: someone's first tennis lesson, ask if your sitter can stay late, 74 00:04:45,120 --> 00:04:47,320 Speaker 1: because you can see that you have a work dinner 75 00:04:47,320 --> 00:04:50,599 Speaker 1: on Tuesday and your spouse is normally scheduled to work 76 00:04:50,640 --> 00:04:55,800 Speaker 1: that night. As I have recommended in previous Before Breakfast episodes, 77 00:04:55,839 --> 00:04:57,839 Speaker 1: it's also a good idea to be in touch with 78 00:04:57,880 --> 00:05:01,080 Speaker 1: your closest colleagues and clients well in advance of your 79 00:05:01,080 --> 00:05:05,719 Speaker 1: time away so you can coordinate timelines. That way, you 80 00:05:05,760 --> 00:05:08,520 Speaker 1: are less likely to come back to a big urgent 81 00:05:08,640 --> 00:05:14,159 Speaker 1: project unexpectedly. While a smooth reentry isn't quite as nice 82 00:05:14,200 --> 00:05:16,960 Speaker 1: as a day at the beach, It is worth spending 83 00:05:17,000 --> 00:05:20,279 Speaker 1: a little time making this happen. Having a plan for 84 00:05:20,360 --> 00:05:23,480 Speaker 1: re entry will mean the days after vacation go more smoothly, 85 00:05:24,400 --> 00:05:30,039 Speaker 1: and your feelings of refreshment may last longer. In the meantime, 86 00:05:30,880 --> 00:05:35,120 Speaker 1: this is Laura. Thanks for listening, and here's to making 87 00:05:35,160 --> 00:05:45,560 Speaker 1: the most of our time. Thanks for listening to Before Breakfast. 88 00:05:46,120 --> 00:05:49,880 Speaker 1: If you've got questions, ideas, or feedback, you can reach 89 00:05:49,920 --> 00:05:59,560 Speaker 1: me at Laura at Laura vandercam dot com. Before Breakfast 90 00:05:59,560 --> 00:06:03,920 Speaker 1: is a product of iHeartMedia. For more podcasts from iHeartMedia, 91 00:06:03,960 --> 00:06:08,000 Speaker 1: please visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you 92 00:06:08,080 --> 00:06:09,320 Speaker 1: listen to your favorite shows.