Darrick Robles Whether you’ve been away for 2, 3, 4 or more weeks, getting back into the routine of everyday life can be tough. From the sunny beach to the dreary office, you have to cope with that first. Many feel stressed again immediately, so that the recovery effect quickly fizzles out. It can even lead to physical symptoms such as tiredness or loss of appetite. Don’t let this perspective discourage you. It’s up to you to counteract the so-called post-holiday syndrome.
This is how you maximize the recovery effect
Luckily, it is up to you whether your return is relaxed or whether you immediately sink back into everyday stress. Here are our 7 tips:
Tip 1: Switch off – in the truest sense of the word
You can already implement this tip on holiday: digital detox is the motto. Ideally, this means that not only do you let calls and emails from work pass you by, but everything else as well. If you don’t want to or can’t do without your cell phone completely, you should at least set the grayscale mode. Scrolling on Instagram and Co. is much less fun in black and white.
Tip 2: Maintain your usual sleeping rhythm
Turn night into day on holiday? Not a good idea from a health point of view, unless you also work the night shift. It is advisable to stick to your usual bedtimes even on vacation, or at least not to deviate too much from them. When you return home, your body has less of a stressful change to cope with and you are significantly more efficient.
Tip 3: Schedule extra days of rest
Of course, it is attractive to use the vacation days to the full and only return home on Sunday evening or even at night. However, it is more relaxed to return during the week to sleep off the jet lag and mentally get back home. If you let your vacation slowly end, you will experience a less harsh break between vacation and everyday life.
Tip 4: Leave an out-of-office message on
Leave your out-of-office message on for 1 or 2 more days. With this trick (which of course is only possible in office jobs, and even then not everywhere) you can give yourself a little buffer and work off what has been left undone in peace. This is especially good if you didn’t have a substitute during your vacation.
Tip 5: Don’t do too much
Who says you have to do extra work after your vacation? Pack a little less on your to-do list. As always, avoid multitasking and prioritize instead. Important appointments and meetings should not take place on the first day after the holiday. Regular breaks and a punctual end of the day also help to clear your head.
Tip 6: Live on with the holiday
At least a bit. This can be a ritual that did you so much good on holiday, such as a morning walk, or cooking a dish that tasted particularly delicious when you were away. Many vacations have a distinctive soundtrack – listening to the songs brings back a little vacation feeling, even on a rainy morning at the bus stop.
Tip 7: Plan your next vacation
After the holiday is before the holiday. One effective way to combat the back-home blues is to dream of new vacation spots. Even if it’s just a short trip over the weekend: With the next vacation in mind, many employees can shoulder the daily routine more easily.
Enjoy vacation and everyday life
We hope that not only your next vacation is nice, but also the time afterwards. And as you know: If you need medical help, Med-Healths is there for you. Even if you are already fully back to your everyday work – you can easily make an appointment with Med-Healths during your lunch break, without any travel time.
