Eight tips to ease post-holiday blues

Returning to work after a holiday is often a roller coaster of feelings and emotions. Getting back into a routine, with no more time to relax, hearing the alarm clock again, having less time to read or enjoy nature, are changes that generate a feeling of apathy, general malaise, fatigue and grumpiness.

It's known as post-holiday stress or the post-holiday syndrome and, although it's not a clinical pathology, it is scientifically proven. It involves various transient and adaptive symptoms that generate emotional malaise and clear up naturally within approximately two weeks.

What are the main symptoms?

Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Deu psychologist Marta Cervera points out that post-holiday stress "is a natural emotional and physiological response that, according to scientific studies, affects between 20 and 40 percent of the population" and she lists the main indicators:

• Mood swings, irritability and sudden emotional changes.
• Apathy, feeling demotivated or emotionally disconnected from one's work.
• Anxiety and stress.
• Physical and mental fatigue, with difficulty concentrating and remaining attentive.
• Poorer performance and tendency to procrastinate.

Physical manifestations such as palpitations, shaking, sweating, muscle tension and pain, and an increased respiratory rate.

What can be done to minimise the effects of returning to work?

To minimise the impact of post-holiday stress and resume the routine of work more smoothly, it is advisable, says Cervera, "to adopt certain strategies that help manage the return to work effectively":

1. Plan your return in advance: Avoid coming home from your holiday the day before you return to work. Ideally, return a few days earlier to prepare yourself physically and mentally, return to regular schedules and gradually resume routines.
2. Organise your workload gradually: Prioritise tasks, starting with the simplest or most rewarding ones, and assign responsibility in stages. Don’t try to do everything that needs sorting on the first day back, and try not to bring work home.
3. Foster communication and social support: Sharing experiences with coworkers, participating in team activities and defining clear goals can strengthen cohesion and reduce feelings of isolation.
4. Adopt a realistic and proactive attitude: Accept that returning to work may involve a period of adaptation and plan strategies to face challenges with a positive, flexible attitude.
5. Establish clear boundaries between work and personal time: Avoid work overload and leave time for rest and leisure to regain emotional and physical balance.
6. Keep regular hours: Get back into a stable sleep pattern and make sure your day-to-day routines include time for rest and activities that generate personal satisfaction.
7. Take care of your physical health: Do moderate exercise regularly, follow a balanced diet and adopt good sleep habits.
8. Manage stress and emotions: Relaxation techniques such as mindfulness, meditation and deep breathing help regulate anxiety and emotional unease. It's also important to identify and challenge irrational or catastrophic thoughts.

Who does it affect most?

1. Unmotivated workers
   Post-holiday syndrome, explains Cervera, "is especially frequent in workers who see work as an unmotivating, repetitive activity, or who associate it with stressful and negative factors." It has very little effect on those who feel satisfied, valued and motivated in their jobs. These people find it much easier to get back into the routine.

2. People who have taken exceptional or long holidays
   “Exceptional journeys and unusual experiences can lead to a deeper disconnection from day-to-day and work routines. These experiences often increase exposure to positive stimuli, a degree of emotional reinforcement and the perception of well-being, creating a more pronounced contrast when the working routine has to be resumed,” says the psychologist.
   “A sudden return to the responsibilities and demands of work after a longer, more profound holiday experience make people vulnerable to more intense and prolonged post-holiday stress. More time is needed to adapt."
3. Individual factors
   There are also individual factors that can increase a person's predisposition to experience the syndrome. Psychologist Marta Cervera explains that "people with more anxious personality types or who are vulnerable to emotional disorders are more likely to be affected by post-holiday syndrome, while individuals who suffer from or have a history of anxiety, depression or other emotional disorders may experience a more difficult transition when returning to work."