Arschbombe!

Programming note: I received a request to provide a recording of me reading these newsletters for those of you with a kid in each arm, or driving into the office, or just prefer the dulcet tones of my voice over reading my symphony of sentences. That request came with a stipulation: one take only. I abide. So excuse the stutters, stumbles, and stammers.

Recording: Spotify Link

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Arschbombe!

That’s the German phrase for what we know in the U.S. as a cannonball—the summertime tradition of jumping into a swimming pool with a big splash, usually by adolescents ... and also by adults trying to impress the kids.

So, yes, part of my vacation was spent doing backyard swimming pool arschbomben! with my young German cousins.

Apparently I have excellent form.

But here's something that often is not so excellent: post-vacation reintegration into the work you left behind. The return is often uncomfortable, as your brain, blissfully still in a bit of vacation mode, struggles against the system's expectation that you're back at full productivity on day one.

That struggle usually involves piecing things together—what was I working on? Where did I leave that task? What moved while I was away? It can be a trudge.

This vacation, however, I tried a change: Prior to hitting save on the OOO, I answered a few questions about each of my projects and responsibilities. My theory: providing current state context would set up my future self for a smoother reentry and reasonable return day success.

Well, it worked. So I'm sharing it here. If not for any other reason than to bring attention to: What's your post-vacation reentry strategy? Is it a slow wade back into the chilly performance pool? ... or is it ...

Arschbombe!

Can you bring to mind a first pool entry on a summer day? Hot. Sun shining. Sweat rolling. Then ... after that initial shock of cool water hitting your body: Refreshing.

It's a useful metaphor for getting back to work after vacation. Sometimes the best way through the cold-water shock is jumping right into it.

The slow wade approach might feel gentler. Controlled. Sensible. It also prolongs discomfort. And prompts jeers from the poolside peanut gallery.

Yes, there are challenges to the first day back: you'd rather still be on vacation, you're tired from vacation, the inboxes are overflowing, the calendar is unrelenting, and you have a responsibility to reorient to work that kept moving without you ...

So: Arschbombe!

Prior to departure, for each project and responsibility (half-dozen items), I noted:

• Current state - A couple of notes on where things stand

• What's important? - Key items to focus on upon return

• What's waiting? - Actions/activities from others happening while away

• What's next? - Anticipated tasks/actions to take when back

I jumped in the first morning: reviewed the document, jotted down tasks as they came to mind, tackled the inboxes, and caught up on the events while I was away.

Two weeks later, that post-vacation glow still lingers—which has to be a sign of a good vacation—but more on topic, the reentry was ... smooth. I had a clear list of tasks, knew which people to connect with for updates, and felt little of that familiar anxiety wondering about where things stood.

It was still chilly. But I was swimming by lunch.

Around The Water Cooler ⛲

“For years, I practised medicine with cool certainty, comfortable with life-and-death decisions. Then, one day, I couldn’t.” When I lost my intuition by Ronald Dworkin

“It doesn’t care whether you’re excited or filled with trepidation. It arrives, regardless. What an opportunity. Or a threat. Up to us.” The Future Doesn’t Care by Seth Godin

“The whims, the stirrings, the inklings and hunches you harbour—these want to be attended to. If you feel moved, be moved. Let it move you—closer to coherence, congruence, integrity, and alignment.” Your Influence is Non-Zero by Dr. Jason Fox

“In a world where knowledge is cheap, curiosity, curation, and judgment—signaled well—becomes insanely valuable.” Humans as 'Luxury Goods' in the Age of AI by Sangeet Paul Choudary

“Too often in corporate life, we wait to “find” the right strategy, the right team dynamic, the right version of ourselves that just clicks. But the truth is—especially for those driving change—you don’t find alignment, momentum, or leadership. You create it.” Bud Caddell

“Non-linearity is why managing change can be so frustrating. Our best laid plans fall flat, while an offhand comment or unexpected event can reshape everything in ways we never saw coming.” The Physics of Change by Bob Gower

Thanks for reading. Hit reply and let me know your thoughts.

How To Work is healthcare-focused work design inspiration (from the experts!) to nudge your perspectives and practices into better alignment with the world of work as it is, and away from what it was. Here’s my take on what we’re working through.