Beat the Post Vacation Blues
Stress at work, dissatisfaction with life, and lack of relaxation while vacationing can all cause post-vacation depression post-travel-depression. Post-vacation depression is a real thing that many people experience after returning from a vacation.
It can be caused by a variety of factors such as feeling like the vacation was too short, or feeling like you didn’t do enough on your vacation. You might compare your vacation time to colleagues or friends and feel like you didn’t “achieve” enough on your holiday.
There is a point in the saying that comparison is the thief of joy. You might feel that staying home or visiting relatives was not time well spent in comparison to your friend who did an art course in Florence and went camping.
Unfortunately you can’t relive your holiday but you can reframe your thoughts and make the best of back to work times.
Ways to reduce post-vacation depression and cope with it.
Here are five tips that can help you out:
1. Make your life at home an adventure: Going home doesn’t mean that you have to go back to a boring life. You can make your life more exciting by trying new things, exploring new places, and meeting new people.
Save:
Plan a tourist day for your first free day. - Picnic in the park and a visit to a museum, brunch and second hand store touring. Take yourself on a hike. Make it a slow and relaxed day, house cleaning and laundry will wait until tomorrow.
Splurge:
Reserve a staycation in a local hotel. Check in early, have dinner and sleep the stress away in hotel sheets.
2. Have something to look forward to: Keep the excitement coming! Plan something fun for the future so you have something to look forward to.
You don’t have to decide on where to travel or book a vacation first thing after returning home. Birthdays, seasonal holidays, and getting together with friends and family can be equally important for mental health.
3. Try and keep in contact with friends: Talking about your feelings and sharing can be a great source of energy. Chances are also your friends and family will experience some stages of anxiety from getting back to normal routines. Send a quick photo, a funny meme or encouraging message
“We’ll get through this Monday” and you can feel yourself uplifted also.
4. Apply a different perspective to your memories: Instead of focusing on what you didn’t do on your vacation, focus on what you did do and how much fun you had. Make a scrapbook, post it on Instagram, write about it in your diary or mark it afterwards on your calendar. Whatever works for you. Make a big deal about small things.
Ice cream sandwich on a park bench on your way back from grocery shopping or Gelato in Rome. In the end your brain doesn’t know the difference but will release dopamine regardless.
5. Embrace your feelings and emotions (yes, even the bad ones): It’s okay to feel sad or depressed after returning from a vacation. Embrace those feelings and know that they will pass.
