The first week back

Land, then work. If you can, keep the first day or two free of presentations, deadlines, and new projects. Tell the people who expect you when you will be back in meetings, and keep that time. A short note is better than disappearing until you feel ready.

Catch up on mail in one sitting, then stop. Urgent items get a reply. Everything else can wait until the next morning. Do not promise a big decision on the day you land.

People at home may want the whole story at the door. A hello, a meal, and a plain “I need a quiet evening” is enough for the first night. You can say more later in the week, in a conversation you choose, not in the first hour.

If children, a partner, or a housemate rely on you, set the meals and the school or work rides before you fly. The first evening should already have a plan so you are not building one while you unpack. If you traveled with someone, keep whatever you agreed about what you would tell people at home.

The clock at home will not match the clock you just left. Sleep at night as soon as you can. A short nap is fine if you are unsafe to drive or to work. A long afternoon sleep often makes the next night harder.

Eat at your usual local times, drink water, and get daylight in the morning. Leave the late-night catch-up for later in the week. If sleep stays badly off and your mood worries you, that is a reason to call a clinician, not a reason to push through more plans.

Give the week to ordinary life before you change it. Wait on quitting a job, signing a lease, making a large purchase, or delivering an ultimatum in a relationship. Write the idea down if you need to, and read it again after seven nights at home.

Small choices are enough: what you will eat, when you will sleep, and which meeting you will take. The inner work of making sense of the stay belongs in the integration guide. This page does not replace it.