Even if you had a great vacation, you will have to go through “mini-grief” at the end. Some people go through all of its stages: anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. Together with experts, we figure out why it can be difficult to get back to work after a vacation and how to make your return emotionally more comfortable.
Post-vacation blues is a short-term condition in which a person experiences negative emotions after returning to work. Some people become irritable and nervous, some feel tired or empty, and some feel sad and blue. This condition usually lasts no more than three to five days, but even they cause severe psychological discomfort. Some even manage to submit a resignation letter.
Why Don’t You Want to Work After a Vacation?
To some extent, post-vacation syndrome can be explained by biochemical processes in the body. It reacts to a change in time zone, climate conditions, and the amount of sunlight. Such changes by definition cause stress.
Reassessment of Values
Breaks in any relationship, including work, can trigger a reassessment process. During separation, we distance ourselves and look at the object as if from the outside. If everything is fine, we want to return to it, to reunite as soon as possible. But if we notice flaws and shortcomings in this object, then it is difficult to return to it.
Resistance to returning to work may be due to the fact that you perceive it as something bad for objective reasons. You are not satisfied with what you do, the level of salary, relationships with colleagues.
Your Attachment Type
The feeling of post-vacation blues is closely related to your attachment type – it affects all relationships, including work. People with insecure attachment may find it difficult to reconnect with work – they do not want to get involved in this relationship again.
Character Traits
Reconnecting with work can be hindered by perfectionism or narcissism, when a person demands too much from himself. He feels that he will soon be driven into a framework again, where he owes everyone, where he must meet high standards. This causes resistance in him – and this will happen in any job, since it is not about the boss, but about the personality traits.
Boss Figure
Another reason for depression can be that you perceive your boss as a parental figure. He brings you up, organizes your life, feeds you, demands that you follow the rules. If your parents were strict and unavailable, then it will be more difficult for you to come out of vacation: you will unconsciously perceive this as a return to a parent who demands the impossible.
How to Minimize Post-Vacation Syndrome?
Monitor Your Sleep and Rest Schedule
We often change our schedule while on vacation: we stay awake at night, sleep during the day — and this is completely at odds with the schedule that awaits you at work. Such a sudden transition is difficult for both the body and the psyche. Try either not to change your schedule or gradually even it out by the end of the vacation. It’s easy to fall into the trap: “I can do everything on vacation, and that’s why it’s great. I can’t do anything at work, that’s why it’s terrible.” In order not to support this mental tendency, it’s worth ensuring stability and taking responsibility for your daily routine.
Spend Your Last Days Calmly
You don’t need to load your last days of vacation with excessive activity — busy excursion programs, extreme types of recreation, sporting feats. It’s better to spend them on complete relaxation, go to a hammam, get a massage, or have relaxing spa rituals.
Give Yourself Time to Adapt
Plan to return to work in the middle of the week — there is evidence that it is better to return from vacation on Wednesday or Thursday. A short work week will help you to more easily survive the adaptation and get into the right rhythm with less stress. Also, if possible, the first working days should begin with simple and quick tasks. Positive emotions from achieving a result will charge you up to solve more complex issues.
If returning to the grind feels like too much, why not take a break to explore a new hobby? Many people find that online sports betting platforms like 22Bet provide a fun and engaging way to relax and enjoy their downtime. With plenty of options available, you can unwind and keep the excitement alive, even after the vacation ends.
Act Gradually
It is important not to arrange a “roller coaster” from idleness to a busy schedule, but to return to your usual work rhythm gradually. It happens that after a vacation a lot of urgent tasks accumulate, but you need to soberly assess your capabilities and not overload yourself. If on the first working day a superman wakes up in you who wants to save everyone, you can lose the accumulated strength in an instant.
Don’t Forget About Physical Activity
Start the day with a little exercise, and end it with a walk. Even 30 minutes of daily physical activity will help maintain a positive holiday mood. Meditative practices will also help.
