Tips to help you deal with the return to work

Your dream holidays have come to an end. You disconnected, relaxed, shared some wonderful moments and now… you have to return to normality.

The term “post-vacation depression” is perhaps a little exaggerated. We all know that sooner or later the vacation has to come to an end we have to return to everyday life. For some people it is easy, they do not mind the change and readily accept each stage in their life. For others, it is traumatic. They cannot sleep, they feel dejected, anxious, and irritable and they find it hard to do anything.

Here are some tips to help you face it:

1. You are still going to have free time. Plan for the short term, dinner, the cinema, a stroll with some friends, or think about the next long weekend. Life continues.
2. Plan your daily tasks. You don’t have to get up to date in the first 24 hours. Give yourself a week to get back to cruising speed.
3. Don’t return from holidays the evening before you start to work. Try to have at least a couple of days to get used to the new timetable and unpack, do some cooking, etc.
4. Rest and sleep for at least eight hours. You will need to sleep well especially on the first few days so that you wake up rested and full of energy.
5. Take care of your diet. On holidays you went overboard but now it’s time to look after yourself again. Follow a cleansing diet to remove toxins. Eat artichokes, beetroot, yoghourt, broccoli or tomato. Increase your intake of foods with tryptophan that help raise your spirits. Have pineapple, bananas, dried fruits, tuna or pulses. Increase your intake of foods containing vitamins group B, such as dairy products, pulses, eggs, chicken, veal, cereals and greens.
6. Drink a lot of fluid to help you eliminate toxins. When you cleanse your organism you will feel better and keener to do things. Have broth, juice and try some green tea and fennel infusions. Avoid alcohol and sugary soft drinks and don’t have more than two cups of coffee a day.
7. Look on the bright side of life. It is not just a catchphrase. Try to get the best out of your work, consider what you like most about it, and remember that routine is not bad, because it makes us feel safe and protected.

Start getting ready for your next holidays and savour the good memories of past ones. Don’t forget that happiness is made of moments.