Have you ever said to yourself when you got back from a vacation that you need another one to relax from the one you just took?   I have, especially with a youngster in tow.    While our daughter is young enough to enjoy dressing up and the Princess experience at Disney World, we once again made the pilgrimage after school was out.  This also meant going non-stop from sun up to sun down while we were there to make sure that we hit every attraction…three times!  I wish I had the energy of a seven year-old again!

     Vacations play a role is maintaining our sanity and health.  They take us away from the stress of work and home life to a place where we can recharge, rejuvenate, and return refreshed.  But, how many times does this actually happen?  How many times do we come home as stressed out as when we left, open up an inbox full of unanswered e-mail, our house is a mess, and a pile of dirty laundry needs to be done?  Do feel as bad as you did before you left?

     In case you have felt like you have needed a vacation from your vacation, here are four tips to make your next one a little easier on you:

• Plan to return from your trip a day early to catch up on laundry, e-mail, bills, and anything else which may put you in a better frame of mind.
• If you can, Jeff Davidson, author of “Simpler Living: A Back to Basics Guide: to Cleaning, Furnishing, Storing, Decluttering, Streamlining, Organizing,” suggests schedule a pleasurable task for that extra day when you get back.  It could be watching your favorite show or sipping a cup of tea.
• Shortly before you go, clean your house and desk.  Returning to a house or office that is orderly can give you a feeling of control.
• If you do decide to check e-mail while on vacation, decide when and how often you are going to do it.

I wish that when we got back from Disney World that I had one more day off before I got back in my routine.  But, now I’m equipped to tackle our next family vacation with less stress when we get home.  I hope you can, too!