During the holiday season, plenty of people take luxurious vacations to beautiful locations. But sometimes, as was the case with the recent fires in our area, you get an unplanned break from work and school. While these time-off scenarios are drastically different, they have one thing in common: getting back to work can feel like a real grind. If the post-vacation blues are bogging you down, we want to help.
First, know that you’re not alone. It’s very normal to feel sad – even downright depressed – when you’ve had time off and now have to resume your daily routine. And the holiday season can make everything worse. If you overdid it with food, drink, or sleep during the Thanksgiving break, your body is probably feeling a little worse for the wear. That can affect your mind, putting you in a sour mood before you even walk back into work or school.
Fortunately, the post-vacation blues aren’t insurmountable. In fact, there are some easy things you can do to make getting back to work feel less like, well, work. Here are a few of our top tips and tricks.
Easy does it.
If you’re already feeling tired or down, cranking at work or school certainly isn’t going to help things. During your first days back, give yourself some grace. Tackle the most pressing to-dos, but don’t burn yourself out trying to get everything single thing off your desk.
This is often easier said than done, so we recommend laying low for the first couple days back. If you traveled during the holiday and picked up a souvenir to share with your peers, wait to leave it in the break room. Not alerting everyone that you’re back can buy you some time to play catch-up and ease back into your work routine.
Tidy up.
Part of what makes getting back to it so overwhelming is the stuff that accumulated while you were away. A giant pile of to-dos can feel overwhelming and can mentally follow you even when you head home for the day. Make it your first order of business to sort through everything that ended up on your desk and create a to-do list. You’ll be amazed how much less stressful your pile feels when you know what’s in it.
Once you have your to-do list created, you can prioritize. Identify items that need to be handled right away, then schedule ones that aren’t as urgent on your calendar. Distributing your work like this ensures that it all gets done but that you don’t get crushed by a massive workload in your first week back.
Swap post-vacation blues for a post-vacation glow.
Who says vacation has to be over just because you got home? If you’re feeling bummed, leverage your vacation and add something to your desk as a pick-me-up. Print out some pics that capture memories from your time away from work and post them somewhere you can glance at them while you work. If your desk is feeling gloomy, add a potted plant that’s reminiscent of the location where you passed your time off. A succulent is great if you stayed local, while a small palm can remind you of your tropical getaway.
On top of adding some happiness to your physical workspace, give yourself something to anticipate after work. Schedule a massage or yoga class. (We offer yoga on Wednesdays and Sundays! You can find the schedule at the bottom of this blog.) Set up a fun dinner with friends. Buy yourself tickets to the movies or a play. Give yourself something to look forward to and you’ll find the post-vacation blues aren’t so heavy.
Talk about it.
Still feeling sad? It might be time to talk about it. The Ventura Counseling & Wellness Center offers therapy, group sessions, family counseling, and more. If your blues are feeling overwhelming, we’re here to help. Our staff of therapists can help you develop tools to make yourself feel happier and more balanced. If you’d like to explore your options and learn more about the services we offer, get in touch today! You can call, text, or email us. We’d love to hear from you in whatever way is easiest for you.
