Following the break: transitioning from leisure to professional duties
Returning to work after a long vacation can be a challenging experience, often marked by feelings of sadness or dissatisfaction, a phenomenon known as the Post-Holiday Syndrome. To help combat this, the Institute for Applied Work Science (Ifaa) offers strategies for a gradual reintegration, realistic workload management, and maintaining a positive mindset.
Gradual Reintegration
One of the key tips is to ease into work by starting with simple and manageable tasks. This approach helps avoid feeling overwhelmed and builds momentum gradually. Avoid overworking to catch up, and maintain regular working hours, resisting the urge to work extra long days immediately after your vacation.
Realistic Workload Management
Plan your first week strategically. Prioritize urgent emails and tasks, set a realistic to-do list with just a few key goals, and schedule brief catch-up meetings with colleagues to reconnect and clarify priorities. Manage your expectations and mental load by allowing time to mentally transition from vacation mode. Block hours for triage (sorting tasks and emails without pressure), and use autoresponders or planned delays to prevent inbox overwhelm.
Maintaining a Positive Mindset
If possible, return a day or two before going back to work to decompress and adjust routines such as sleep and environment, which supports a smoother mental re-entry. Seek support if needed. Asking colleagues or managers for help with backlogged tasks can reduce stress and improve efficiency without burnout.
Fundamentally, Ifaa emphasizes that post-vacation blues also signal a deeper issue: work should ideally be energizing rather than draining. Building a job environment or role that is meaningful and satisfying is the ultimate long-term antidote to the post-vacation slump. These approaches align with broader expert advice on managing work anxiety and maintaining mental health through supportive policies, personalized workspaces, and pacing oneself thoughtfully during re-entry periods.
Remember, the body and mind need time to adjust to a fixed work rhythm after a vacation. After a vacation, the body and mind may still be in a state of relaxation. By following these tips, you can make the transition back to work smoother and more enjoyable.
[1] Ifaa (Institute for Applied Work Science) [2] Ottersbock, N. (2021) [3] Mental Health Foundation (2020) [4] Ottersbock, N. (2022) [5] American Psychological Association (2021)
- Recognizing that work should energize rather than drain, Ifaa suggests adopting a job environment or role that fosters meaning and satisfaction as the ultimate long-term solution to combat post-vacation blues, aligning with broader expert advice on mental health maintenance.
- To facilitate a healthier and wellness-focused transition back to work, the Institute for Applied Work Science (Ifaa) encourages gradual reintegration by easing into work with simple tasks, managing workload realistically, and maintaining a positive mindset, all of which contribute to a lifestyle that promotes workplace wellness and overall health and wellness.
