Let's not let the post-vacation blues get us down How to navigate the return from vacation with awareness and ease
Ever since we were kids, the end of the holiday mood has been enough to trigger more than a few tantrums. Maybe because we were afraid that, the following year, we would never find our first crush again, or see the same sunset we admired by the water’s edge, our hair still soaked in sea salt. Or maybe because we associated coming home from vacation with the beginning of an exhausting everyday routine, packed with commitments and tasks. Even today, all these feelings continue to live within us under the name post-vacation blues, a condition that shouldn’t be underestimated when it comes to mental health, but that can be managed with a few strategies.
What is post-vacation blues, really?
Following in the footsteps of the already well-known Blue Monday, post-vacation blues describes a psychological and physical state marked by feelings of discouragement, chronic fatigue, difficulty concentrating and heightened irritability. These symptoms are intensified as the body and mind adjust to busier, more demanding routines after the slower pace of vacation, and they tend to fade within a few days or weeks. We know that dealing with them is far from easy, but with a few mindful adjustments, the comeback can be approached with greater awareness.
Tips for a healthy and serene return from vacation
To avoid falling into your first post-vacation burnout, it’s important to ease back into your work routine step by step. The keyword should therefore be graduality, whether you’re going back to studying or working. If we start feeling overwhelmed while trying to get back on track, we can learn to carve out a moment for a break, whether that means reading a book, listening to a mood-enhancing playlist or taking a few minutes for zen meditation to help restore a sense of balance. Another tip to keep in mind is not to completely abandon our vacation habits, which can easily coexist with our city routine for a little while longer. This way, everyday life can pick up at the right pace, allowing us to gradually regain both productivity and wellbeing.
A return to self-care through gentle rituals and cocooning
Few things have the power to lift our mood during the most stressful and seemingly unmanageable moments quite like self-care. Especially when we’re returning from our favourite destination, we deserve rituals that bring positivity and consciousness to every inch of our body. From a comforting cleansing ritual to carefully curated body and haircare routines designed to restore hydration and softness, this shopping gallery is dedicated to the dreams that will accompany us until the last rays of summer sun, becoming the finishing touch to a season we wish would never end.