Maintaining Focus while on Vacation

[Vanilla]

I have a question for everyone...and I look forward to receiving some great responses! =)

Normally, I use the weekends to take care of home, and also as a resting time. The weekends are my time to do laundry, clean my home, relax, spend time with friends, and also for self-reflection and meditating. I also do my planning on weekends, planning out my week and/or the month ahead. When Monday comes around, I'm able to start the week fresh, rejuvenated, in a peaceful state of mind.

About once a month, I take a mini-vacation to visit my significant other. I usually will use the weekend to go see her, and I'll stay anywhere from 3-5 days at a time. My dilemna is, when I take my mini-vacations...I'm forced squeeze all my normal weekend activities into the week before, and I miss my self-reflection time. Each time I return from vacation...it takes me AT LEAST a week to get back on track. During this "recovery" period...I'm not focused at all, and my usual peaceful state is instead stressed and frantic. I want to decrease, if not eliminate, this time it takes to "recover" from vacation. I would like to have a smooth transition if you will, and be more efficient.

Any suggestions??? =)

[Keith]

How long does your self reflection/meditation/planning take?

Won't your SO allow you a little private time to get your head together? I'm sure they want their weekend with you to be quality ; which it won't if you're concerned about the week ahead.

[Vanilla]

Yeah, she would allow me private time. That is a good idea. I could do that to alleviate any stress upon returning. I'm also thinking about maybe not returning to work IMMEDIATELY after getting back from vacation. Perhaps taking a day or half-day to regroup and then go back to work.