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At the end of my second day back at work, these are the thoughts I blurted out loud to my wife: “Honestly, I’d really just like to be on holiday permanently.”

People often say I’m too nice, because I go out of my way to help others. I don’t really think that’s true. Actually I’m pretty grumpy behind the scenes. Helpful, perhaps, but not particularly nice. Anyway, today I am actually very grumpy indeed.

I’ve still been extraordinarily helpful, but I’ve also been grumbling in the process, at times wondering why others are so lazy. I know what they are angling for when they consult me on my expertise: I’m supposed to say, as I would have done in the past, “Just leave it with me.”

Nope, but instead I tell them what they need to do and leave it at that. I’m even starting to wonder whether this new team of mine really is a good fit. It’s not what I expected at all.

But then I’m still in that awkward phase, waiting to learn whether my business case and associated funding has been approved, to enable me to build a competent team of my own. I guess that’s what I was truly expecting, not this onward march of ineptitude.

See what I mean: not nice at all. But perhaps this is just the shock of returning to work after feeling so relaxed. A baptism of fire, almost. I’m barely afloat, dealing with interruption after interruption, all as others seek a status update on a project they initiated only just before I went on leave.

Yes, it’s true, I do check my emails while on leave, and respond if urgent. But no I’m not going to spend my time doing actual work, other than filing some urgent report. I have a garden full of DIY jobs to do instead.

Let’s see what tomorrow holds. Let’s see… let’s see if I can even be nice.