Tanned, still with salt on your skin, with the sound of the waves echoing in your ears, and with the carefree laziness that accompanies summer holidays, you return to the office.
You barely smile and struggle even to say “good morning” to your colleagues, who themselves have returned from some island—real, not imaginary—trying to adjust to the new circumstances. You exchange a glance with them, and nothing more needs to be said. They understand your “pain.”
They empathize. After all, they know that one moment you’re admiring the view from the airplane window or ship’s porthole, and the next, you’re hypnotized by the sight of the vacation laundry spinning in the washing machine.
In fact, as early as the 1950s, James McKeen Cattell, the first professor of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, coined the term “holiday syndrome,” which he linked to the difficult emotions Americans experienced from a few days before Thanksgiving until a few days after New Year’s.
The transition is anything but smooth, and those who claim that post-vacation blues—the feeling of “I can’t stand working anymore, I want to go on vacation again”—is real.
According to the American Psychological Association, Cattell identified widespread anxiety, weakness, irritability, nostalgia for vacations, and depression.
Undoubtedly, returning to work causes—at the very least—disruption that affects our daily lives, even impacting our performance in the first few days. The pressure, the routine, the dozens of emails waiting for a response, the constantly ringing phone, can all increase anxiety. Moreover, a previous study published in Psychology & Health found that the benefits of vacations were only recorded in individuals with low work-related stress. Conversely, for those working in high-stress conditions, the positive effect of vacations significantly diminished as soon as they crossed the office threshold. Additionally, sleep problems, negative thoughts, headaches, and anxiety were observed.
Are there solutions and methods to alleviate the discomfort that often follows the summer period?
– Leave a few days before returning to the office Experts suggest returning from your vacation spot at least two days before resuming work. This will allow you to get back into your routine, do your laundry, organize your home, restock your fridge, and adjust to your usual sleep schedule.
– Prepare yourself Boost your confidence by taking some time to prepare before returning to the office. Study and catch up on what happened during your vacation so you don’t have any gaps and feel ready to achieve your daily work goals.
– Don’t dive into the deep end You might be tempted to tackle the most demanding part of your job right away. However, as the Harvard Business Review notes, this approach usually fails because it is almost certain to cause intense stress. Therefore, it’s recommended to “restart” with slow, small steps, beginning with tasks that are easier to manage.
– Focus on what you enjoy most about your job There is surely something about your job that excites you. Start with that, leaving the more challenging tasks for later. Remind yourself of what you enjoy about your work and focus on what interests you the most.
– Make a list Prepare yourself mentally and practically by making a list of what needs to be done and setting priorities. This will help you stay focused and avoid spending time on tasks that aren’t as important.
– Meet with colleagues Make sure to meet with your colleagues early in the morning to catch up on news, talk briefly about your vacations, and get updated on any important events that occurred while you were away, as well as deadlines.
– Plan something fun In the first few days, make sure to do something enjoyable after work. Go out with friends for food or drinks, visit a museum or art gallery, watch movies at an outdoor cinema, read books, watch your favorite series, or organize a weekend getaway with your family to the countryside.
– Reevaluate your job If, despite this, you still struggle, even after enough time has passed since your return, seek help from a professional or evaluate whether your job is the right one or if a change is necessary.
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