Summer is around the corner, which means it’s almost vacation time!

As much as I love a good trip, coming back to the office is no fun. Overflowing inbox, feeling behind on projects and an endless to-do list are enough to kill any post-vacation glow. So how do you make the best of it? Here are a few tips to make re-entry a bit easier:

Before you go:

• Purge your inbox. Before you leave, take some time and delete delete delete. You know there will be numerous emails waiting for you when you return, so do a little housekeeping now.
• Clean up. Sure, you’re feeling crazed trying to finish your to-do list before you go. But take 10 minutes to tidy up – it will be worth it.

After you return:

• Give yourself a buffer day. Coming back to work after vacation is rough. Coming back to work after getting into town at 10:30 the night before is brutal.
• Get to work early. Before you’re bombarded with well-meaning coworkers asking about your trip, get into the office and review emails, handle paperwork, prep for any meetings, and put together your to-do list.
• Sort your email. Instead of reading in chronological order and sifting through everything, sort your email by sender or subject. This allows you to figure out what is most important, and makes it easier to delete what is not.
• Block out time on your calendar. Transitioning from sitting on the beach to sitting in meetings is a challenge. Block out some time in the middle of the day for dedicated work where you won’t be disrupted.

And if all else fails and your day is totally chaotic, go home, sip your favorite drink, look at your vacation photos and pretend you’re still there.