My week off was fantastic—thanks for asking!

If you're like me, no matter how much you love your job, returning from vacation can be brutal. Many of you are probably returning today from a week, or at least a few days, of vacation. After a week on a beach, the last thing you want to do is return to the daily grind or the fast pace and stress that you were dealing with before vacation.

Enter the reality check. Promotional Consultant Today shares these tips for "re-entry" after a fantastic vacation. Good luck!

Take time to learn: Read a book or do something inspiring while you are on vacation. Choose something that will get the creative juices flowing and help you do life and work better.

Enjoy your time off: Vacation is there for you to unplug, relax and get out of the routine. Take advantage of it and don't feel guilty!

Mark your next vacation on the calendar: Begin planning your next vacation. Treat it as you would any goal you set for yourself. Sometimes the lure of another trip on the horizon will serve as motivation.

Make a to-do list: Before returning to the office, make a short list of what you want to accomplish that first day back. Without a doubt, you will get hit with the unexpected on your return, but a list can keep you on track and help you feel like you accomplished something.

Exercise: Working out is a great way to reflect on your trip and prepare your mind for the coming week.

Start with relationships: Once you arrive back at the office, take a few moments to catch up with your coworkers. You may find it energizing to know that you were missed and some will be genuinely interested in your trip.

Ease into your inbox: Don't try to conquer hundreds of emails in one day. Set aside an hour or two to work on it, and focus mostly on low-hanging fruit and any large issues that deserve immediate attention. The rest can wait for you to catch your breath.

Don't expect to get caught up right away: Don't negate the good work you did de-stressing on your vacation. Set reasonable expectations and don't heap a bunch of pressure on yourself to get everything done immediately.

Plan something fun after work: After that first day back to work, treat yourself to something fun. Maybe it's a relaxing evening by the pool to remind you of your recent vacation.

Source: Jeremy Watkin, director of customer services at Phone.com, is a 14-year customer service professional who is passionate about building cohesive teams that work together to achieve a shared vision. He has extensive experience leading both in-house and outsourced customer service operations. He possesses the unique ability to lead strengths-based teams that are both high in morale and low in turnover, and is able to achieve the utmost in quality and efficiency.

Compiled by Cassandra Johnson