Depression after vacation: how to go to work correctly? How to set yourself up for work after vacation: actionable tips

The vacation has come to an end. It would seem that you can go to work with renewed vigor and fresh thoughts, but for some reason you don't want to! you feel very tired and dissatisfied with your work. There is no desire to work. Many even think about leaving at this time. Well, there is post-vacation depression.

How to tune in to work after vacation? Make it a joy to work and not seem like hard labor? Some advise not to go on vacation for more than two weeks, so as not to fall out of the working atmosphere and after the vacation, quickly return to your usual schedule. Others recommend not to leave business at all, even to call up with colleagues and, as they say, keep your finger on the pulse. But is it worth following these recommendations? After all, it is almost impossible to relax and unwind, constantly thinking about work. Plus, your constant telephone conversations with colleagues are likely to offend the person with whom you went on vacation. How to relax, forgetting about work, and then make sure that going to work after vacation does not become painful?

First, decide how much you will rest and how you will spend your vacation. If you want to travel to the tropics, take a vacation of at least 2 weeks. The fact is that while on vacation, you will have to undergo acclimatization, which will take several days. Imagine that your body has just begun to get used to humid air and high temperatures, and you expose it to repeated stress (and acclimatization is stress for the body) by returning too early. Naturally, going to work after such a vacation will be painful. If you can afford to take a few vacation, spend it in your familiar climatic zone. You can go to the country house, visit relatives or friends;
Remember the rule: "I work at work, I rest at rest." If you can separate these two activities, then after the vacation, it will be easier for you to tune in to a business mood. At the same time, do not forget that rest is not everyday festivities until the morning ... You can, of course, afford to drink a little, but if you do not know when to stop, then after a two-week alcoholic marathon, you will not have a place at work, but in the hospital. ! So it is better to direct forces to restore the body after;
Try to get back from vacation 3-4 days before going to work. This will help you re-acclimate and get ready for work. Try to get more rest these days. You should not burden yourself with urgent household chores these days. It will be possible to visit friends, present brought souvenirs or make at home at the end of a new working week;
A couple of days before the end of your vacation, try at the same time as on weekdays. This will help to tune the body to work after vacation;
In the first working days after vacation, you should not take on new projects or too complex tasks. It is better if you finalize an already started project, because it is much easier to complete it than to start doing something from scratch. If there is no such lesson, then engage in planning. Make a list of things to do in the coming days. By the way, you can do this a few days before the end of the rest, then after the vacation you can safely proceed with the planned implementation.

To avoid post-holiday depression, you need to adhere to these recommendations, allow your body to gain strength, energy and vitamins. Then it will be much easier to go to work after vacation. After all, you will not feel overwhelmed and devastated. Work will be a joy, and new forces will help in the implementation of any ideas and projects.

And remember proper rest- the key to productive work.

Yesterday yours bare feet felt the soft sand, the sun kissed the skin, and the sound of the surf caressed our ears. Tomorrow you will have to go to work, and you will remain in the office in high heels and in a tight suit. Thoughts will float in the clouds, and the boss will look sternly in your direction. If you do not want to receive a reprimand, you will have to urgently join in manufacturing process... There are several techniques that can help you do this quickly and painlessly.

According to statistics, 85% of employees write letters of resignation after returning from vacation. And they can be understood: after a wonderful rest, a person's stereotypes are broken. “Somewhere out there by the sea or surrounded by European streets, careless people live unhurriedly. So why do I have to work here like Dad Carlo, sitting in a stuffy office ?! Maybe it's time to change everything? " - such thoughts visit the majority of vacationers in the first days after their return.

It is worth following these fantasies only when the work has not brought either professional or material satisfaction for a long time. But if before the trip you were quite happy with what you were doing, give these ideas a go. If you write a statement now, you will regret it: the apathy will pass, and you will be left alone with the harsh reality: without work, livelihood and prospects. So stop hanging in the clouds, better pull yourself together.

Wash the floors

Most likely, you, like most people, planned your vacation in advance so that when you return, you have a few days in reserve, and not rush to work from the plane. This is absolutely correct solution: you will come to your senses, and it will be easier for you to get involved in the production process. However, everything will happen as you intended only if you spend these bonus days wisely. The body tired from the flight will begin to dictate its own conditions: it wants to lie in bed 24 hours a day. Never let your body take over. The opinion that the weekend is on the couch The best way adapting to daily life after vacation is wrong. On the contrary, having plunged into the abyss of sleep, instead of cheering up before the work week, you will sink even deeper into apathy. However, active studies will not be beneficial: you start doing something interesting and you will finally lose touch with reality. So do something monotonous this weekend, like cleaning your house. Believe me, this activity will not tire you much, but at the same time it will quickly return clarity to the mind, clouded by the sun and the sea.

Print photos

On your first day of work, you will inevitably compare dull office walls with the color of sand, the crackling of the keyboard with birdsong, and the tired faces of employees with the tanned faces of tourists. Unfortunately, the preponderance will not be on the side of corporate “joys”. In order not to be completely upset, you need a charge positive emotions... Do not be lazy, print the pictures taken on vacation the day before. Just imagine how much pride you will feel in showing your colleagues the places you have just visited: magnificent landscapes, architectural monuments and, possibly, cute friends. Also, think carefully about the outfit in which you will appear at work after vacation. Your task is to choose clothes that highlight your tan and sparkle in the eyes as much as possible. The admiring glances of male colleagues and the envy of women will be the best cure for blues.

Start a diary

Do not rush into work, as in a whirlpool, headlong. All the same, you won't be able to do anything sensible on the first day. But this does not mean that you can completely devote yourself to chatting with colleagues - you will become even more limp. Do something not too responsible: sort out the table, check the mail. To finally get on track, plan the coming days so that all tasks are divided into blocks. For example, in one group you can combine several telephone conversations, in another - answers to correspondence, in the third - discussion of business issues. Experts are confident that the need to achieve specific goals will prevent your thoughts from flying away from your office to the seaside. However, try not to get carried away with planning. People with a swollen organizer often spend much more time filling it up than the actual work. Planning becomes a kind of game for them - the more things are written down, the more pleasant it is to cross out what has been done. At the same time, only trifles often appear on the list of completed cases, while truly important work it remains unfulfilled.

Go to Suzdal

Planning and fulfilling your duties clearly will most likely get you back on track, but are unlikely to drive away the dreary thoughts of a wonderful, but short vacation. You can get rid of them only if your life at home becomes as interesting as a trip abroad.

One day off, regardless of bad weather or laziness, you should devote to active recreation: go to your friends' dacha, buy theater tickets, learn to ride a horse, or set yourself the goal of visiting the nearest cities. Only when the anticipation of the weekend is connected with the fact that something new and exciting is planned ahead, you will stop comparing daily life with vacation.

Make yourself an idol

But keep in mind: if you have dedicated Saturday to a stormy activity, Sunday should be passive. Whatever one may say, but the body needs rest. If you load it too much, it will not be able to cope with the loads, and your not very high labor productivity will become even lower. By the way, do not lie aimlessly on the couch, but rather watch a movie or read. Choose a movie or book where the main story line tells how the heroes achieved success thanks to their work ("Legally Blonde", "Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears", biographies of Coco Chanel, Margaret Thatcher). Inspired by their example, you will perk up and be ready for new achievements.

Expert opinion

Anetta Orlova, psychologist, candidate of sociological sciences, writer:

Aversion to work after rest is not uncommon today. The fact is that during a crisis, people value their places too much. They do not take leave until the last for fear that they will find a replacement. And working non-stop has a negative effect on the body. The person literally burns out. Having broken through to the coveted beach, he totally relaxes and cannot gather strength for a very long time. After the vacation, a person plunges into apathy, and the work that he so valued until recently ceases to interest him. And the longer the workaholic has not rest, the more difficult it is for him to return to normal life.

Don't waste time on the beach

1. Make a list. Ideally, in order to get into the workflow normally, you need to prepare for it while still on the beach. V the last days vacation, instead of quietly hating your office, find positive points... There are actually more of them than you think. For example, in addition to money, work gives you the incentive to look great every day. After all, you have to keep yourself in shape, do your makeup and hair.

2. Come up with a dream. Lying under a palm tree, you think with horror of the hateful office? Promise yourself to return to this wonderful resort in six months, and then work will turn from a burden into the only way to achieve the cherished goal, for which, you yourself understand, money is needed. Do not hesitate, inspired by a dream, you will work tirelessly.

3. Don't be a seal. A person who has spent two weeks wandering from the buffet to the sun lounger by the pool and back will not only come home quite fat, but will also be more susceptible to post-vacation stress. To return to work cheerful, keep yourself in good shape: swim, walk, play volleyball, badminton, etc. Otherwise, you risk getting lazy to such an extent that you will not be able to start working normally even a month after your vacation.

Vacation stars

Larisa Verbitskaya:

- I have a proven method of how to painlessly penetrate into the work process after returning from a tourist trip. I just never take a month's vacation, but divide it into two or three parts.

In 14 days you don't have time to totally relax and get out of the habit of getting up in the morning and running to work.

And in general, if you rest a little, but several times during the year, you get tired much less.

Anton Privolov:

- Nobody after have a great vacation I don't want to go to work, that's okay. The main thing here is not to dwell on your feelings: the more you groan, the more difficult the adaptation process will be.

You don’t want the post-vacation depression to crush you, don’t whine and cry, but calmly get involved in work.

And rejoice that in these difficult times of crisis you have the opportunity to earn money - this is the best incentive.

Elena Ischeeva:

- To get involved in work, you need to rest properly. For example, on vacation I relax to such an extent that in the last days I start to miss working days. And at home I literally rush into battle. For the past four years, my family and I have been on vacation Maldives, everything there is conducive to relaxation. This year we are going to a motor rally across Europe. I hope that after it I will feel ready for new labor exploits.

Vacations tend to end quickly. And it seems like you just basked on the beach or climbed high mountain in search of new experiences, and after a few days you are already sitting at your workplace loaded with chores and exhausted from the heat in the office.

It seems that going to work after vacation should be easy, because the person has rested and relaxed properly. In fact, it turns out that many find it very difficult to get involved in the workflow. Working days for many who went to work from vacation seem gray and dull, they do not want to work at all, absent-mindedness appears, and ordinary tasks become an unbearable burden.

In such cases, psychologists diagnose post-vacation syndrome. A sudden change of scenery threatens with stress, nervous tension and as a consequence, depression. Moreover, the more actively and brighter a person spent his vacation, the more difficult it will be for him to immerse himself in work. According to statistics, about forty percent of people who return to work after vacation suffer from this ailment.

How to help the body enter into a habitual rhythm and cope with post-vacation syndrome? There are proven ways to make your coming to work from vacation less painful.

How to go to work after vacation

If possible, try to plan your vacation so that the first working day after vacation falls in the middle of the week, and not at its beginning (remember how difficult it is to start new life from Monday). Otherwise, the first work week can be long and unbearable, so it's better to keep it a little shorter.

Natalia Panfilova (center expert practical psychology"Integration") - " The decisive role in the post-vacation syndrome is played by the length of the vacation. That is, the longer it is, the more difficult it is for a person to enter his work schedule later. Today, many people prefer to go on vacation for one to two weeks. But some professions, such as teachers, involve long vacations. People in these professions really experience difficulties in going to work after vacation. Vacation is a different mode of life. People live at a different pace. Of course, this is good for the body as a whole. But when a person starts his work duties, he has to get up earlier, to have more time. Very often, after going to work from vacation, people get sick. This is a kind of protective reaction of the body, a common psychological trick - to extend your rest. The disease, as it were, helps to soften the transition into the surrounding reality. Usually vacationers attribute this condition to acclimatization. In fact, a person simply cannot abruptly switch from one life rhythm to another. "

In order to acclimatize and go to work after vacation with less losses for working capacity, you should return from rest two or three days before starting work. In a few days you will have time to adapt to the weather, unhurriedly dismantle your suitcases, feel the rhythms of your city again and mentally tune in to the upcoming workdays.
After returning home from vacation, do not succumb to the holiday fever! Many (especially women) try to do all the household chores at once before going to work after a vacation. You shouldn't poison your last days with everyday worries. An unwashed floor and not ironed linen will not go anywhere. You will have time to do all this later.

Psychologists say that women and men perceive the transition from vacation to work differently. It is easier for women. Their psyche is more flexible, they go to work with pleasure to tell colleagues about their travels.

A simple exercise will help you to go to work in a good mood after the vacation: Answer yourself to the question - “Why do I love my job?”. Remember and replay in your memory all the positive moments associated with your current job, and with the people (colleagues) with whom you communicate. Imagine showing videos and photos from your vacation and sharing your impressions. This will help you get on track with positive emotions.
So that going to work from vacation does not seem like hard labor to you, try to get enough sleep.
Returning to work after vacation should be accompanied by a clear time planning down to the smallest detail and workload distribution. Do things that have accumulated during the time while you were resting, one after another, without panic clutching at everything at once. Give priority to solving basic problems. Secondary matters, like dust on the windowsill, "clean up" later. And be sure to be distracted for a few minutes every hour, especially if you have a sedentary job.
Not having time to completely immerse yourself in work, do not rush to make important and responsible decisions.
In the first days after your vacation, try to stay relaxed - don't stay late at work, don't take work home, stop talking about work outside of work and have a good rest on your first weekend, this will definitely help you reduce post-vacation syndrome.
German scientists have found that a person who has soaked in the sun for several weeks, the IQ drops by twenty points. Recovery of IQ is a matter of several days. So if it seems to you that after returning to work after vacation, you are a little foolish, you should not think too badly of yourself.
Saturate your body with endorphins. Moderate consumption of dark chocolate, as well as inclusion in the diet a large number Fresh vegetables and fruits will increase the level of endorphins, which will add vitality and give a feeling of happiness and tranquility. Also walk more on fresh air and do your morning exercises.
You should not change something globally in your life immediately after the vacation. Drastic changes will require both moral and physical strength. This will use up all the energy you just recovered during your vacation and minimize the positive effects of relaxation. If you have already decided to change something, start with useful and pleasant things. Remember what you always did not have enough time for and what you have long dreamed of doing. Adopt the small change method, and over time, it will become a good habit, supplanting the post-vacation syndrome and relieving you of the stress and depression associated with going to work after vacation.

Changing from work to vacation is much more enjoyable and easier than tune in to work after a vacation. According to statistics, many people decide to change jobs on the days after the holidays. This happens due to the fact that when going to work from vacation, many people notice what this work does not suit them, what they so carefully hid from themselves. And this is another reason not to rush straight into the embrasure. Spend first working days to think about the reasons that cause dislike for this work (too much routine, too much responsibility, a high level of achievement of a professional milestone, etc.) and to see new perspectives. You've probably already heard that going to a job that doesn't suit you for many reasons means harm to your health. Isn't it better find your calling and work for your own pleasure? But! This does not mean that you need to immediately write a letter of resignation, remember changing jobs after vacation is not a panacea. Thoroughly cock all the pros and cons.

If the phrase “ I don't want to go to work after vacation”Is spinning in your head more and more often, and thoughts about how to go to work after vacation haunt you, then you are close to post-vacation syndrome.

How to tune in to work after vacation

Try to plan your vacation so that there are 2-3 days left before going to work. During this time, you can get used to the climate, time zone, and just sleep if you spent your holidays like a real tourist, sightseeing and visiting excursions.
Spend the last days of your vacation in peace. No need to rush to meet friends, attend social events, or plan a reshuffle. The best way now - a leisurely and measured performance of pleasant things: walks in the parks, a long sleep, self-care.
Indulge in memories. Nothing can be more unsettling than returning from fairytale places to gray landscapes. hometown... Try to keep the feeling of the holiday for as long as possible - sort out photos, re-read travel notes, write to new friends, leave feedback on fresh impressions on travel resources.
First day after vacation. The main mistake the first day after vacation - going to work on Monday. Monday is already a hard day, and even the most rested worker can plunge into the abyss of despondency on Monday after a vacation. If possible, try to return to the office closer to the middle of the week - on Wednesday or Thursday. The thought that just a couple of days before the legal weekend will not only have a beneficial effect on general state but also warn post-vacation syndrome.
Do not try to take up duties immediately. Chat with colleagues, find out current news. It is better to postpone the implementation of important things that require attention until later (you have only two days until the weekend, you should not start something serious, right?). In no case do not deprive yourself of your daily work rituals - a cup of coffee, an afternoon walk will be those "hooks" that you catch on to quickly return to your work rhythm.
At home, as well as at work, it is better not to make important decisions and spend the first weeks in a calm atmosphere. You should not immediately take on all the household chores on yourself and your family. The daily routine can be just as stressful as the post-holiday rush at work. If you don't want to cook dinner, go to a restaurant with your family or order food at home, and weekly cleaning can wait - your good mood for the household is probably much more important than the absence of dust and ironed shirts.
Take care of yourself. Your body will be grateful if fresh fruits, vegetable salads and a lot of pure water... Remember that the simpler the food, the better, and it will also save you hours of standing at the stove. If you really want to relieve the tension of the first week with the help of alcohol, then do not be too hard on yourself. Evening memories of relaxing with a glass of wine will bring only positive emotions.

As for sports, then, oddly enough, the first days after vacation are not the best time to resume intense training. Even if you put on a few extra pounds during the holidays and you can't wait to get back in shape, try to enter a sports regime gradually - instead of aerobics - yoga or Pilates, instead of anti-cellulite massage - a sauna or relaxing wraps. And, finally, the main advice - do in the last vacation days are just what you really want, regardless of recommendations that are at odds with your desires. If you are anxious to meet up with your girlfriends and show off an even tan, then you should not close in the house. If you feel that you are ready to move mountains at work - feel free to rush into battle. Just do not forget that primary enthusiasm can quickly burn out, so take on all your endeavors wisely.

Throughout the year, working people look forward to vacations. Exactly this beautiful time when you can relax, chat with friends, walk. Go on vacation to the sea, to the mountains or go abroad, where everything is included and you can forget about everything. Vacation gives us the opportunity to have a good rest, relax and forget about work. But once everything ends and the day comes when you need to go to work. After a long rest, this is very difficult. How to tune in to work after vacation will be discussed in our article.

How to deal with stress after rest?

It is very difficult to tune in to the work process and return to your usual routine. Many people even experience stress, psychologists call it "post-vacation syndrome." This is the kind of stress that comes after a relaxing and enjoyable period in life. It takes a lot of effort to get rid of this stress, sometimes even people turn to specialists for help. Studies have been conducted in various institutions which have shown that 67% of employees experience stress upon returning to work after a vacation.

The most common signs of this stress are:

headache;
sadness;
fast fatigue;
despondency;
yearning;
anger;
nervousness.

In order to cope with stress, you need to take care of yourself and not give up. Tune in labor regime after the vacation will help:

gradually begin to return to your working regime, do not immediately plunge into work with your head;
on the first working day, it is advisable not to plan serious and business meetings;
try to play sports or do at least the lightest physical exercise, because sports help fight stress;
pamper yourself, buy a gift, go to a cafe, meet friends.

In the early days, try not to completely immerse yourself in the work process, take time to relatives, friends and yourself in particular. You should have harmony within. Take a break from negative emotions and thoughts. And most importantly, start thinking about where you will spend your next vacation, this will help you tune in and get into the rhythm.