To catch up on an accumulated backlog of work, following a vacation or any absence from the office, you may very well have to work a few extra hours and longer days. This is especially the case because these days people doing office work spend a significant amount of time reading and answering e-mail messages. After several days, or a week of absence, you should expect a great many unanswered messages. A good idea is to set your e-mail account to "automatic reply," as this will let people know that you will be away from the office and that you will only be able to check your messages after your return.
Perhaps the least painful way to catch up on an accumulated backlog of work is to arrive to the office one hour early on your first day back on the job. Try to get in for about 8am and spend the first hour working on catching up. Most people are able to best focus in the morning and the earlier hours of the day are usually far more productive in an office. The other option is to stay after work, but you may find yourself in the office for two, or three hours, simply because you are more exhausted by the end of the day and you are working at a slower pace.
Perhaps the least painful way to catch up on an accumulated backlog of work is to arrive to the office one hour early on your first day back on the job. Try to get in for about 8am and spend the first hour working on catching up. Most people are able to best focus in the morning and the earlier hours of the day are usually far more productive in an office. The other option is to stay after work, but you may find yourself in the office for two, or three hours, simply because you are more exhausted by the end of the day and you are working at a slower pace.