Post-holiday syndrome: how to cope with getting back into your routine
Without a doubt, long-awaited holidays are one of the most desired opportunities to switch off from work for employees in any company. When they come to an end and it is time to go back to work, routine, rushing around, tiredness, traffic jams and workplace pressure all begin again…
Fatigue, general tiredness, anxiety, irritability, low mood… Do these symptoms feel familiar when you return to work after a holiday period? If the answer is yes, you may be experiencing what is known as post-holiday syndrome
Post-holiday syndrome refers to a general state of discomfort that appears through psychophysical symptoms and occurs as a reaction to adapting to an active return to work and to the change of pace after a holiday period.
Symptoms of post-holiday syndrome
The symptoms and their intensity depend on the person and the specific case, but the most common ones are:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- General discomfort
- Tiredness
- Lack of motivation
- Changes in mood
- Irritability
- Difficulty concentrating
- Difficulty making decisions
- Palpitations
- Respiratory symptoms
- Sweating
It is not an illness, but rather a set of symptoms caused by the change of pace from holidays back to work. However, if we consider a broader definition of health as a state of wellbeing, and not merely the absence of illness, many workers seem to experience this general state of discomfort as a result of adapting to returning to their role. What is clear is that this is a period in which our body reacts in order to adapt to conditions that were not present before. Although it can become a cause for concern, it is a temporary issue that usually lasts a couple of days or, at most, up to fifteen days.
So-called post-holiday syndrome undoubtedly occurs after the holidays, but there are certain situations that can make someone more prone to it. For example, if the holidays have been very long, the transition back to work may feel very abrupt. It can also happen if you have not rested or switched off during your holiday, leading you into a spiral in which progressive tension increases your stress levels. This last factor could even lead to other problems, such as burnout.
Changes in schedules
All living beings, including humans, have biological rhythms that shape our internal clock. These include periods of sleep and temperature regulation that allow us to adapt to different environmental conditions. But how is this related to post-holiday syndrome? This general state of discomfort appears after a specific event: returning from holiday, a period in which there were no work-related demands. When we are not working, we change our sleep-wake and/or eating schedules, the activities we do are different, and we may even spend more time with other people.
Although this can also happen at weekends and on public holidays, it is important to bear in mind that, during holidays, it happens over a longer period of time. All these lifestyle factors are closely linked to our biorhythm and have a significant impact on our mood.
Prevention and gradual adjustment: your best allies
As is often the case, prevention is better than cure. In this instance, there is no doubt about it, as we can identify in advance when post-holiday syndrome is likely to occur: returning to work after a holiday period is the necessary trigger. There is no specific treatment for this condition, so the best way to manage it is by taking preventive measures and gradually getting used to the changes. Below, we share some recommendations that can help make the transition back to routine easier and prevent or reduce the symptoms of post-holiday syndrome:
- Plan expected obligations in advance: as it is important for the transition back to work to be gradual, a large part of success depends on how we have organised our tasks. Ideally, we will have structured our work in advance, especially if anything has been left pending. It is also important to bear in mind that, if we are experiencing emotional discomfort or fatigue, tasks such as decision-making may be affected. This can cause work to build up if we are unsure how to prioritise it, creating a vicious cycle that increases discomfort and may end up leaving us feeling overwhelmed.
That is why it is important to reduce chaos and dedicate most of our time to planning, bringing more order into our lives. Examples of this type of organisation could include tidying our workspace and diary, or breaking larger goals down into smaller objectives that allow us to see how we are progressing towards achieving them. Writing down what we do each day can also help create a greater sense of self-efficacy.
- Gradually reintroduce work habits: it is not advisable to return to your work habits on the exact day you go back to work, but rather to do so gradually. For example, you can start getting used to your usual schedule again by waking up at the same time as you would on a working day, or by adjusting your meal times a couple of days beforehand.
- Maintain space for leisure: during holidays, we often do many leisure activities, but when we return to our routine, these tend to disappear from our lives almost completely. In general, for our health and, more specifically, to overcome post-holiday syndrome, it is helpful to continue doing some form of leisure activity and maintain it throughout the year.
- Maintain a sense of priorities: although we do need to return to our work routine, this does not mean that all our time should be devoted to work. Our lives are made up of different areas that form part of who we are. These may include, among others, family, leisure, friendships, sport and work.A helpful way to deal with the discomfort of post-holiday syndrome is to give each area the right level of importance and take actions that are aligned with feeling fulfilled, while aiming to achieve a similar degree of satisfaction across all of them.
- Limit working time to work itself: continuing with the different areas of life, it is important to bear in mind that we sometimes transfer work-related discomfort into other areas. For example, anxiety and low mood can affect our personal relationships or home life when irritability or apathy continue beyond working hours. That is why it is important to be aware of the time we dedicate to work and to establish a habit of disconnecting from it. This could be anything from doing sport to changing clothes once the working day is over.
We must not forget that this syndrome is the result of the process of adapting to a particular pace and, as such, it is temporary. It should therefore subside once our body becomes used to the new circumstances. However, if the discomfort is very intense or the problem persists beyond fifteen days, it could be a sign of another imbalance, such as anxiety or depression in their early stages. It is also important to bear in mind that more than 70% of people do not feel comfortable at work, and that it is common for employees to experience work-related stress. This discomfort can spread to other areas of their life, but it is entirely preventable.
You can count on an online psychologist at Therapyside to continue delving into your emotions, prioritize yourself, and take care of your psychological well-being. If this article has helped you better understand this topic, we hope you feel more empowered to live a life without limitations!