Long weekends are the best. Not so long that you fall out of your flow entirely, but enough to recharge and come back to things with fresh energy.
I just took a few days to attend a wedding. Social engagements aren't my favourite way to spend free time, but when one of your best friends gets married, it's always a pleasure. I caught up with a lot of friends I rarely see, and it was a genuinely good break.
Monday morning wasn't a tragedy. I'd only been away a few days, but it still wasn't quite as seamless as usual. What comes with age, though, is experience. In the past I'd have been stressed about all of it. Wading through emails and Slack messages, checking what the team had been up to, chasing the few things I'd left open. More than that, I'd have felt out of sync for a while, almost out of place. Hard to explain exactly, but a bit like returning to your favourite show having missed an episode or two. Everything's familiar, but you're still finding your footing.
This time was nothing like that. I'd left a stable situation, and I work with an unbelievably talented team, so there were no nasty surprises waiting. There was progress to catch up on, plenty of it, but when things are going well, that's a pleasure rather than a problem.
I blocked out Monday morning to get up to speed. Read through every thread, looked at every open PR, ran through the Jira board to see what the team had done, what had changed, whether any blockers had surfaced while I was gone. I walked into the first meetings prepared, with a clear picture of everything. Connecting the last few dots was effortless, and within a few hours I was back in my usual rhythm.
I don't take that for granted. A lot of it comes with experience. I no longer feel I need to be on top of everything the instant I'm back, and I know I can just ask if something isn't clear. The thing I've improved most is judging priority, giving each item the right weight. Not everything needs tackling first thing on the first morning. Most of it can be planned and handled in turn.
Another thing I won't take for granted is the team culture. In those few days off I didn't get a single message or call. The small daily group conversations were moved to DMs where possible to keep the noise down, and I actually managed to unplug. That's not trivial for me.
The team spirit makes a real difference. I'd left a few things partially open, and people simply picked them up and moved them forward to avoid costly delays. They covered for me, knowing I'd do the same for them. When I got back, I only had to check on the progress. There was barely any catching up to do.
The long weekend is behind me now. Ahead are a couple of months of solid work. Plenty of deadlines, some genuinely interesting projects, and a real opportunity to fill some knowledge gaps by venturing outside my comfort zone. These few days recharged me more than I expected. I'm back to myself, and I can't wait to get stuck in.