Every year when summer vacation ends, I wonder why returning to work can’t feel more like returning to school. When I was a kid, the end of summer meant new teachers, new classmates, a new classroom and a whole year of opportunities ahead. I couldn’t wait to see who was in my class, what had changed and what adventures were waiting. Now, as an adult, I return to work after vacation and somehow, we’re all supposed to act like we’re heading to a funeral.
Honestly, the experience isn’t that different. I come back and there are new employees I’ve never met. Teams have changed. Processes are different. New goals have been rolled out. There are fresh challenges to tackle and things to learn. The only difference is nobody takes my picture on the front porch holding a sign that says, “First Day of 3rd Quarter.” Instead of getting a new backpack, I get a password reset and a calendar full of meetings.
Your boss greats you saying, “We’ve got some exciting initiatives this year,” which somehow feels like the adult version of being assigned a 20-page research paper on the first day and just like school, I spend the first week trying to remember everyone’s names, figure out what’s changed and pretending I understand what’s going on. By day three, I’ve relearned the most important lesson of adulthood—summer break is never long enough and neither is lunch.
Still, maybe we have it all wrong. Maybe returning to work after vacation should feel like the first day of school with new opportunities, new people and new goals. And if we’re really committed to the comparison, I think HR should hand out fresh notebooks, a box of crayons and a gold star for simply showing up on time after vacation. I’d be highly motivated by all three.
So, here’s to a fresh start. May your coffee be strong, your meetings be short and at least one “urgent” email turn out to be something that actually couldn’t have waited until tomorrow.