Yesterday you were enjoying freedom to the fullest, warming your belly on the beach, splashing in the pool and not knowing any worries at all, and today you are already gathering dust in a stuffy office, looking at the sad faces of your colleagues and the mountain of accumulated work that you don’t seem to have time to complete until next vacation. Of course, this is a huge stress for the body. Uncle psychologists even came up with a term that characterizes this condition - post holiday syndrome. This disease affects about 40% workers returning from vacation. Let's take a closer look at what kind of animal this is - "post holiday syndrome", and with what it is eaten.
Statistics tell us that 80-85% resignation letters are written by employees who have just returned from vacation. This is due to the fact that after giving yourself a break in the form of a vacation, and then returning to work rested, it is easy to look at your work from the side, analyze how much it is dear to you and how much it satisfies you. I would not recommend writing an application in the first week after the vacation. The fact is that against the backdrop of post-holiday depression, it may seem to you that your work does not suit you at all, but this the feeling can be deceiving. Therefore, postpone this decision until at least next week, and if the intention to leave this job does not disappear, then it is really worth writing a statement.
Causes of post-holiday depression
The reason for this disease is that during the holidays the body adjusts to a new schedule. Everything changes biological and psychological rhythms, emotional background, diet and sleep, changes in the amount of mental and physical stress. And if you are relaxing in a different climate and in a different time zone, then you can add to all this also acclimatization. When you go to work, your body has to adjust back to a tough schedule. This takes some time (usually 2-5 days). At this time, your body and spirit, as it were, protest against the fact that you arrange such stress for yourself. Hence, physical and psychological ailments arise, the name of which is - post holiday syndrome.
If you are using alcohol, then it is quite possible that on vacation you will often abuse it, which is also will negatively affect the body when going to work.
Symptoms
Post-holiday syndrome is accompanied a lot of bad feelings, the most common of which are:
- Irritability
- Fatigue
- lethargy
- Self-doubt
- irascibility
- Headaches
- Pressure surges
- insomnia
A person can even get sick with some ORZ- the body may well react in such a way as to extend its vacation.
Risk group
can strike any worker, but there are some categories of citizens who are more at risk of experiencing all the delights of this syndrome for themselves.Dissatisfied with their work. If work does not bring any pleasure, and a person has to force himself to go to work just for the sake of money, then after a few weeks full of positive emotions and vivid impressions, returning to an unloved job will be a very difficult test.
Mentally unbalanced people. A sharp change in the rhythm of life, first of all, unbalances people who are prone to rash and impulsive actions.
Men. As a rule, it is more difficult for men to get involved in work than for women. This is due to the fact that women have a more flexible psyche and they often go to work with pleasure, looking forward to how they will tell colleagues about their wonderful vacation and about the travels and adventures that took place on this vacation.
People who take long holidays. The clearest example is teachers. The longer the vacation lasts, the longer it will take to get into the working rhythm.
People aged 40-45 years. At this time, many are experiencing the so-called middle age crisis. A person is overcome by thoughts about his own destiny, he tries to analyze the years he has lived and the mistakes made in his life. On vacation, he may well indulge in these philosophical reflections, but at work this may cause problems. Therefore, at this age, the return from heavenly pleasure to the harsh truth of life is especially painful.
So if you a mentally unstable man in his early 40s who works as a teacher and hates his job- I have bad news for you 🙁
But don't despair, friend! I have prepared some recommendations for you how to return to work after vacation if not with pleasure, then at least by minimizing discomfort, depression and stress.
How to return to work after vacation
Get out of vacation in the middle of the week. Try to plan your vacation so that the first day of work falls on middle of the week, not at its beginning. Otherwise, the first working week may seem unbearably endless to you.
Come back from vacation 2-3 days before going to work. During this time, you can slowly cool down from impressions, get involved in the urban rhythm, adapt to the weather and mentally tune in to the working mood.
Do not spoil the last days of vacation with household chores. After returning home from vacation, many try to redo the accumulated household chores in the last days of the vacation, thereby poisoning themselves these days. Women are especially guilty of this. No, I don’t call on the last days of vacation to wallow in a vegetable on the couch, but excessive activity is useless. Try to find some balance. A little cleaning will be more than enough. You can deal with the rest of the things later.
Think positively about work. Remember why you love your job. Replay in your head some positive things about your job and your co-workers. Imagine how when you go to work, you will be share impressions with colleagues, show photos and videos from the rest, possibly, give someone brought souvenirs. This positive attitude will help you enter the working channel easily, naturally and with pleasure.
Get enough sleep. Get enough sleep to alleviate post-vacation syndrome. Try to sleep at least 8 hours a day.
Plan your working hours. During your vacation, a lot of work must have accumulated. There is no need to panic and take on everything at once. Better plan your working hours. Deal with the main things first, and do the minor things later. And don't forget to get distracted every hour, especially if you have a sedentary job.
Postpone important decisions. Try to postpone all responsible and important decisions until the time when you get involved in work.
Try to spend the first working days "relaxed". Do not overload yourself in the early days. Do a little cleaning, clean up your desk, check your email. No labor feats in the first days! You don't have to stay at work. If possible, try to leave early. And on your first weekend, try to have a good rest.
Don't worry if thought processes are difficult. A person who has been in the sun for several weeks IQ declining points on 20 . This discovery was made by German scientists. So, if you feel like you're a little silly after your vacation, don't worry about it. In a few days IQ will recover.
Pamper your body with endorphins. Include some in your diet bitter chocolate and more vegetables and fruits. Better take fruit oranges and bananas. These foods will saturate your body endorphins which will make you feel a little happier. Don't forget also about morning exercises and walks in the open air. Drink more clean water. From other drinks, pay attention to green tea and mineral water. But from strong tea and coffee better to refuse.
No major changes during this period.
If you have decided to change something globally in your life, the first week after your vacation is not the best time. After all, such changes require a lot of energy and, accordingly, can negate the positive effect received from rest. But if your hands are itching to change something in your life, start with the little things, and when you get involved in the working rhythm, then you can think about global changes.
Analyze your condition
Severe post-vacation syndrome is a sure sign that you are out of place. For people who work, as they say, "in place" post-holiday syndrome goes away either mildly, or they are not at all familiar with this condition.
Personal experience
Personally, the last days of my vacation are the hardest for me, and when I go to work, I quickly get involved. But in the last days of vacation, the mood is always at zero.
As for the duration of the vacation, I I like to go on vacation for a whole month. A few years ago I worked at an enterprise where I was provided with additional 14 days holidays. I took a vacation there once a year, all at once - on 42 calendar days. I don't like to go on vacation 2 weeks- the subconscious mind does not perceive this as a vacation 🙂 Moreover, it also takes time to change from a working rhythm to a vacation one - 3-4 days. And the last 3-4 days I'm starting to think about work. So that leaves only a full week of vacation. Whether it's a vacation 4 weeks! 🙂
Conclusion
Cutting transition from a relaxed state, which lacks discipline and obligations, and there are joy and pleasure, in a state of strict discipline perceived by the body as the strongest stress. The human psyche perceives the end of a vacation as a huge loss. The stress of such a sharp restriction of freedom can only be compared with parting with a loved one.
Have a smooth transition from vacation to workdays! And let your work bring you as many positive emotions as possible! Then no post-holiday syndrome threatens you!
Holidays tend to end quickly. And it seems that you just basked on the beach or climbed a high mountain looking for new experiences, and after a few days you are already sitting at the workplace loaded with affairs and languishing from the heat in the office.
It seems that going to work after a vacation should be easy, because a person has rested and relaxed properly. In fact, it turns out that it is very difficult for many to get involved in the work process. Workdays for many who went to work from vacation seem gray and dull, they don’t feel like working at all, absent-mindedness appears, and ordinary tasks become an unbearable burden.
In such cases, psychologists diagnose - post-holiday syndrome. A sudden change of scenery threatens with stress, nervous tension and, as a result, depression. Moreover, the more active and brighter a person spent his vacation, the more difficult it will be for him to immerse himself in work. According to statistics, about forty percent of people who return to work after vacation suffer from this disease.
How to help the body enter the usual rhythm and cope with the post-holiday syndrome? There are proven ways to help make your return to work from vacation less painful.
How to return to work after vacation
- If possible, try to plan your vacation so that the first working day after the vacation falls in the middle of the week, and not at its beginning (remember how difficult it is to start new life from monday). Otherwise, the first working week can be long and unbearable, so let it be a little shorter.
Natalya Panfilova (expert of the Center for Practical Psychology "Integration") - " The duration of the vacation plays a decisive role in the post-holiday syndrome. That is, the longer it is, the more difficult it is for a person to enter his work schedule later. Today, many people prefer to go on vacation for one or two weeks. But some professions, such as teachers, involve long vacations. People in these professions really experience difficulties with going to work after vacation. Vacation is a different mode of life. People live at a different pace. Of course, this is good for the body as a whole. But when a person starts his work duties, he has to get up earlier, more in time. Very often, after returning to work from vacation, people get sick. This is a kind of protective reaction of the body, a common psychological trick - to prolong your rest. The disease, as it were, helps to make the transition into the surrounding reality softer. Vacationers usually attribute this state to acclimatization. In fact, a person simply cannot switch abruptly from one life rhythm to another.
- In order to acclimatize and go to work after vacation with less loss of performance, you should return from rest two to three days before work starts. In a few days you will have time to adapt to the weather, slowly unpack your suitcases, feel the rhythms of your city again and mentally tune in to the upcoming workdays.
- After returning home from vacation, do not succumb to the holiday fever! Many people (especially women) try to do all the household chores at once before going to work after their vacation. It is not necessary to poison your last days with household worries. Unwashed floors and unironed linen will not go anywhere. You can do all this later.
Psychologists say that women and men perceive the transition from vacation to work differently. It is easier for women. Their psyche is more flexible, they are happy to go to work to tell their colleagues about their travels. 
- A simple exercise will help you to go to work after a vacation in a good mood: Answer yourself the question - “Why do I love my job?”. Recall and scroll in your memory all the positive moments associated with your current job, and with the people (colleagues) with whom you communicate. Imagine how you will show videos and photos taken during your vacation and share your impressions. This will help to enter the working channel with positive emotions.
- So that going to work from vacation does not seem like hard labor to you, try to get enough sleep.
- Returning to work after vacation should be accompanied by a clear time planning down to the smallest detail and workload distribution. Things accumulated during the time while you were resting, do one after another, without panicking for everything at once. Prioritize solving major problems. Secondary affairs, like dust on the windowsill, will be “cleaned up” later. And be sure to take a few minutes of distraction every hour, especially if you have a sedentary job.
- Not having time to fully immerse yourself in work, do not rush to make important and responsible decisions.
- In the first working days after the holidays, try to keep a relaxed state - do not stay late at work, do not take work home, refuse all talk about work outside of work and have a good rest on your first weekend, this will definitely help you reduce the post-holiday syndrome.
- German scientists have found that a person who basks in the sun for several weeks, the IQ drops by twenty points. Restoring IQ is a matter of a few days. So if it seems to you that when you return to work after a vacation, you are a little stupid, you should not think too badly of yourself.
- Saturate your body with endorphins. Moderate consumption of dark chocolate, as well as the inclusion of a large amount of fresh vegetables and fruits in the diet, will increase the level of endorphins, which will add vigor and give a feeling of happiness and tranquility. Also walk more in the fresh air and do morning exercises.
- It is not necessary immediately after the holidays to change something globally in your life. Cardinal changes will require both moral and physical strength. This way you will use up all the energy you just recovered from your vacation and minimize the positive effects of your vacation. If you decide to change something, start with useful and pleasant little things. Think about what you always lacked time for and what you have long dreamed of doing. Adopt the “change in small ways” method and over time it will become a good habit, displacing the post-holiday syndrome and relieving you of the stress and depression associated with returning to work after the holidays.
It is much more pleasant and easier to switch from work to vacation than to tune in to work after vacation. According to statistics, many people decide to change jobs during the holidays. This happens due to the fact that when leaving for work from vacation, many people notice what this work does not suit them, what they so carefully hid from themselves. And this is another reason not to immediately rush to the embrasure. Spend first working days to reflect on the reasons that cause dislike for this work (too much routine, big responsibility, high bar for reaching a professional milestone, etc.) and to review new perspectives. Surely you have already heard that going to a job that does not suit you for many reasons means harming your health. Isn't it better find your calling and work for fun? But! This does not mean that you should immediately write a letter of resignation, remember changing jobs after a vacation is not a panacea. It’s good to cock all the pros and cons.
If the phrase " I don't want to work after vacation” is increasingly spinning in your head, and thoughts about how to go to work after vacation are haunting, then you are close to the post-holiday syndrome.
How to get back to work after vacation
- Try to plan your vacation so that there are 2-3 days left before going to work. During this time, you can get used to the climate, the time zone, and just get enough sleep if you spent your holidays like a real tourist, seeing the sights and going on excursions.
- Spend the last days of your vacation in peace. No need to rush to meet friends, attend social events or start a reshuffle. The best option now is a leisurely and measured performance of pleasant things: walks in the parks, a long sleep, self-care.
- Indulge in memories. Nothing can be more unsettling than returning from fabulous places to the gray landscapes of your hometown. Try to keep the feeling of a holiday as long as possible - sort out photos, reread travel notes, write to new acquaintances, leave reviews on travel resources based on fresh impressions.
- First day after vacation. The main mistake of the first day after the vacation is going to work on Monday. Monday is already a hard day, and even Monday after a vacation can plunge even the most rested employee into an abyss of despondency. If possible, try to return to the office closer to the middle of the week - on Wednesday or Thursday. The idea that only a couple of days before the legal weekend will not only have a beneficial effect on the general condition, but also warn post-holiday syndrome.
- Don't try to get down to work right away. Chat with colleagues, find out current news. It is better to postpone the implementation of important matters that require attention until later (after all, you have only two days before the weekend, something serious should not be started, right?). In no case do not deprive yourself of daily work rituals - a cup of coffee, an afternoon walk will be those “hooks”, catching on which, you will quickly return to the working rhythm.
- At home, as well as at work, it is better not to make important decisions and spend the first weeks in a calm atmosphere. Do not immediately take on yourself and your family all household chores at once. Household routine can be just as serious a stress factor as a post-holiday rush at work. If you don’t feel like cooking dinner – go to a restaurant with your family or order food to your house, and weekly cleaning can wait – your good mood for the household is probably much more important than the absence of dust and ironed shirts.
- Take care of yourself. Your body will be grateful if fresh fruits, vegetable salads and plenty of pure water are added to the diet for several days. Remember that the simpler the food, the better, and it will also save you hours of standing at the stove. If you really want to relieve the tension of the first week with the help of alcohol, then do not be too strict with yourself. Evening memories of the rest with a glass of wine will bring only positive emotions.
When it comes to sports, oddly enough, the first days after a vacation are not the best time to resume intense training. Even if you gained a few extra pounds over the holidays and you can’t wait to get back in shape, try to get into a sports regimen gradually - instead of aerobics - yoga or Pilates, instead of anti-cellulite massage - a sauna or relaxing body wraps. And finally, the main advice - do it in the last vacation days only what you really want, regardless of the recommendations that are at odds with your desires. If you're itching to meet up with your friends and show off your even tan, don't lock yourself up in the house. If you feel that you are ready to move mountains at work, feel free to rush into battle. Just do not forget that initial enthusiasm can quickly burn out, so take on all undertakings wisely.
“I don’t want to go to work after my vacation.” Familiar? And the brighter the well-deserved rest was, the more difficult it is to return to working days. After a wonderful week-long vacation spent by the sea or in the mountains, a person often falls into the so-called post-holiday stupor: he does not want to do anything, but only rest is in his thoughts. And all this is accompanied by apathy, nervousness, insomnia, fatigue, and in some cases even fever.
Many employees after vacation do not return to work at all, having written a letter of resignation. This is due to the loss of motivation and the breaking of stereotypes. In psychology, all these conditions are referred to as "post-holiday syndrome". Its main reason is a sudden change of scenery. But this is a short-lived phenomenon. It usually lasts from 2 days to 2 weeks, then passes. Psychologists and doctors know how to change from a relaxing holiday atmosphere to a working wave without problems and stress.
Treat yourself to a few bonus days for acclimatization
If you have been vacationing in Turkey, Egypt or another warm country, do not go to work immediately after disembarking from the plane. Rushing into the cycle of work affairs, you run the risk of catching depression and generally losing motivation. Therefore, plan your vacation at sea or somewhere else in such a way that there are 2-3 days left before going to work. During this time, you will not only acclimatize and get enough sleep after a flight or a trip, but also get involved in the usual rhythm of life, have time to sort out things, put souvenirs on the shelves, print photos with sea or mountain landscapes and even miss your favorite tasks and colleagues. Adaptation will do you good: returning to work after vacation will only be a joy for you.
Back to work after vacation: back to normal from the middle of the week
Monday is a tough day. Everyone knows about it. The beginning of the week is especially difficult after a long vacation. If you start working from this day after several days spent at sea, in the mountains or in the country, the working week will turn into torture and will seem painfully long to you.
The most favorable day to return to work after a vacation is Friday. Usually at the end of the week there are no important meetings, meetings and routine work.
Therefore, experts recommend returning to working mode after the holidays from the middle of the week, and preferably from Thursday or Friday. So, having worked only 1-2 days before the weekend, you will more comfortably establish a working rhythm and will not have time to get tired of work, both physically and mentally.
Break your annual vacation into several parts
Many people who take a whole month's vacation feel terribly tired on their first day at work. This is due to the fact that for a long time a person has time to completely relax and wean from everyday work tasks, as well as the need to get up on an alarm clock and rush headlong to work.
In order to get used to the relaxing atmosphere and get used to the working environment as comfortably and painlessly as possible, it is better to take an annual vacation in parts - 14 or 10 days each. Experts recommend taking one vacation in the winter and the second in the summer. It is during these periods that a person most of all needs a change of scenery and relaxation. If you take a little rest, but several times during the year, you will feel less tired, and the introduction into working days will be as comfortable as possible.
Get into work mode gradually
On the first working day after a vacation, you should not "pounce" on the accumulated work tasks and household chores. Otherwise, feeling panic and horror from the amount of unfulfilled, you risk undermining your nerves and health. Return to working days gradually.
So, on the first day, instead of 6 tasks, do 2-3. This could be checking email, answering letters, making a to-do list for the next week, and other small things that do not require much stress.
Merge into work mode smoothly, starting with simple things. And when you already enter the usual rhythm, you can increase the load. Thus, you will quickly come to your senses and get used to the fact that you are back at work.
Also try to divide your work into several stages and give yourself 5-10-minute breaks between these parts. During your break, look at holiday photos, chat with co-workers, meet new co-workers, or get outside and get some fresh air.
And remember the following: do not stay at work until late in the first days after the vacation, even if you have a full emergency. There will be no sense from this: you will run out of steam faster, and you will do your work poorly.
Sleep well, eat well and get fit
Our well-being depends on sleep and nutrition. Therefore, a few days before returning to work after a vacation, try to sleep at least 8 hours and eat only healthy food, forgetting about fast foods, fatty foods and strong coffee. In the post-holiday period, the body needs vitamins, minerals, as well as the “right” calories. Dilute your daily diet with vegetables, fruits, nuts, seafood.
Eat dark chocolate. It uplifts the mood and activates mental processes.
A few days before going to work, do a face mask, manicure, haircut. Such activities will make you feel better and fresher.
Returning to work after vacation: give yourself pleasure
So that the “vacationer” syndrome does not drag on, try not to give yourself to work entirely, without a trace. Remember that in addition to your career, you have your own life. Get more rest and do fun things. On weekends and after work, try not to lie on the couch. Keep an active lifestyle: go to the gym, go to the movies, listen to good music or chat with friends over a cup of tea. And share your vacation experience with colleagues by showing them photos and videos. But don't do it too often. Otherwise, nostalgia will not pass.
Working non-stop leads to burnout. Therefore, a good vacation is indispensable. But even here it is worth remembering that a well-deserved rest is only a small part of our life and sooner or later we need to return to our usual working course. And to avoid becoming a victim of post-vacation syndrome, follow these simple guidelines: get enough sleep, eat healthy food, don't try to do everything in one fell swoop, lead an active and varied lifestyle, and dream about your next vacation. And then you will easily join the working track, and your favorite work will bring you joy and pleasure.
Vacation has come to an end. It would seem that you can go to work with renewed vigor and fresh thoughts, but for some reason you don’t feel like it! you feel very tired and dissatisfied with your work. There is no desire to work. Many at this time even think about leaving. Well, it's post-holiday depression.
How to get ready for work after vacation? Make it so that the work was a joy, and did not seem hard labor? Some advise not to go on vacation for more than two weeks, so as not to fall out of the working atmosphere and quickly return to the usual schedule after the vacation. Others even recommend not to deviate from business, even to call up colleagues and, as they say, keep abreast. But is it worth following such recommendations? After all, it is almost impossible to relax and unwind, constantly thinking about work. In addition, your constant telephone conversations with colleagues are likely to offend the one with whom you went on vacation. How to relax, forgetting about work, and then make sure that going to work after a vacation does not become painful?
- First, decide how much you will rest and how you will spend your vacation. If you want to travel to the tropics, take a vacation of at least 2 weeks. The fact is that while on vacation, you will have to go through acclimatization, which will take several days. Imagine, your body has just become accustomed to humid air and high temperatures, and you re-stress it (and acclimatization is stress for the body) by returning too early. Naturally, returning to work after such a vacation will be painful. If you can afford to take a few vacations, spend it in your familiar climate zone. You can go to the country, visit relatives or friends;
- Remember the rule: "at work - I work, at rest - I rest." If you can separate these two activities, then after the holidays it will be easier for you to tune in to business. At the same time, do not forget that rest is not everyday festivities until the morning ... Of course, you can afford to drink a little, but if you don’t know when to stop, then after a two-week alcohol marathon, your place is not at work, but in the hospital ! So it is better to direct forces to restore the body after;
- Try to return from vacation 3-4 days before going to work. This will help you reacclimatize and get ready for work. Try to get more rest these days. Do not burden yourself with urgent household chores these days. It will be possible to visit friends, give brought souvenirs or make at home at the end of a new working week;
- A couple of days before the end of the holiday, try to do it at the same time as on weekdays. This will help set the body to work after the holidays;
- In the first working days after the holidays, you should not take on new projects or tasks that are too difficult. It is better if you finalize an already started project, because it is much easier to finish it than to start doing something from scratch. If there is no such activity, then start planning. Make a to-do list for the next few days. By the way, you can do this even a few days before the end of the holiday, then after the holiday you can safely proceed to the implementation of the planned.
To avoid post-holiday depression, you need to follow these recommendations, allow your body to gain strength, energy and vitamins. Then it will be much easier to return to work after the holidays. After all, you will not feel overwhelmed and devastated. Work will be a joy, and new forces will help in the implementation of any ideas and projects.
And remember, proper rest is the key to productive work.
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