How do you get back to work after a vacation and not get depressed?

The first working days after a long weekend? It’s scary to think about. After the holidays, many people start to mope – they seem to have gained strength, but do not want to get back to work at all. How to help yourself to adjust to the working days and not to get depressed?

psychotherapist, sports manager, co-founder of the program for career development of professional athletes.

Moodiness after holidays and long weekends is accompanied by symptoms of anxiety.

Why is it so hard to work after the weekend?

There is no universal answer to this question – everyone has their own reasons. But here’s what affects it:

• a sharp decrease in the level of happiness hormones: serotonin, endorphins, dopamine, adrenaline;
• the contrast effect: when a person sees the difference between two events, i.e. compares them. This is partly why life after the holidays is most often divided into “before” and “after” – hence the moping. That’s just the way our brains work;

• the emotional exhaustion of preparing for the holiday, overcoming difficult situations is also very exhausting. After such a vacation, the last thing you want to think about is work;
• changes in diet, for example, uncharacteristic dishes in the diet from the holiday table and excessive alcohol consumption. All this can also play a cruel joke.

How long does this condition last?

Julia: Post-holiday syndrome, unlike clinical depression, lasts less than two weeks. Usually moping after holidays and long weekends is accompanied by symptoms of anxiety. These are insomnia, loss of energy, irritability, difficulty concentrating, depression, sadness and melancholy. If you notice that the depressive state has dragged on for more than two weeks, seek professional help from a psychologist or psychotherapist.

Prepare for going to work in advance

Don’t overload your first day at work – trying to do all the things you’ve accumulated over the long weekend won’t turn out well. Ideally, start preparing to go to work a few days before your vacation ends. This way you’ll have time to check your mail, prepare important papers, go shopping and psychologically adjust to the workday.

Write down your thoughts

Even the most vivid memories fade with time. To stretch the pleasure of the holiday, write down the most pleasant events that happened to you during the vacation. Reread them when you feel sad. If that’s not enough, bring in the heavy artillery: exchange impressions with colleagues. But discuss holiday stories ideally over lunch, not to the detriment of work.

Do not aggravate the situation

Fatigue after the holidays leads to the state when you want to wrap yourself in a plaid and turn on your favorite TV series. But do not be lazy, no matter how tempting it may look. Do not hide under a blanket after work and more often go out into the fresh air. Even an ordinary outing to the nearest store for a chocolate bar is already great. And try to talk to your loved ones – if not when you meet them, then at least on the phone, not via messengers.