Some or other time you have experienced post-holiday blues which entail feelings such as; anxiety, nostalgia, and or experiencing an increase in irritability levels, or insomnia.
This normally occurs when you have return to school, or work, after a long holiday period.
Thankfully, according to Dr Melissa Weinberg, a research consultant and psychologist specialising in well-being and performance psychology, all is not gloomy and it is actually an indication of healthy psychological functioning.
Whether the vacation was good or bad, “you pay the same emotional toll for a crappy vacation as you do for an amazing one“, she adds.
Shaun Lamont, managing director of First Group Hotels and Resorts, said: “You need to rest and relax to recharge your batteries, or you will burn out. Stress and depression both have a direct, negative impact on your performance at work, as well as on levels of absenteeism.
“Holidays allow us to recover physically, mentally, and emotionally.”
Knowing how to manage the transition between laid-back holiday mode and ready-to-go work mode, will help to minimise the effects of the inevitable post-holiday slump.
How do you get over the post-holiday blues? Shaun offers a few tips:
Walk down memory lane
These days you don’t even need a professional camera to capture those moments when you are travelling. Create a digital photobook, post pictures on social media, or an old-fashioned scrapbook, the choice is yours. Maybe looking back on the good times can spark a positive feeling. Sharing stories of your holiday adventures with people can have the feeling last a little longer.
Plan and book your next holiday
Those who are lucky enough to plan their next adventure can do so. Putting time and effort into the planning can make your holiday a lot stress-free, adding to the excitement as well.
According to a poll conducted by the Institute for Applied Positive Research, simply planning a trip can boost your happiness levels. 97% of poll respondents reported that having a trip planned makes them happier; 82% reported that a booked trip makes them significantly happier; 71% reported having greater levels of energy knowing they had a trip planned in the next six months.
Create a countdown calendar
Knowing how many days to go until your next break will create an epic level of excitement and anticipation, especially if you have kids. There are apps for this purpose that you can download to use as a daily visual reminder of how many “sleeps” are left.
“You may want to consider returning from your holiday a few days before you are due to start working again. This will give you time to reset your system, mentally and physically, by getting back into your routine and regulating your sleep patterns.
‘’Remember that as you return to work, try not to get back into the bad habits of working longer hours and do things that bring you joy. Remember to make time for some R&R in the busyness of life. After all, making magical, lasting memories is what life’s all about,” Lamont concluded.