Post-Holiday Blues: How to Make Returning to Everyday Life Easier

The suitcases have been unpacked, the alarm is ringing again – and suddenly that wonderful holiday mood has vanished.

Many people slip into a low mood after their break. Doctors and occupational psychologists have long spoken openly about the “post-holiday blues”. It describes that deflated feeling when everyday life, with its appointments, emails and stress, hits faster than you can sort through the last beach photos. Experts now explain which straightforward strategies can make the return much easier.

Why the post-holiday blues are so common

During a holiday, body and mind operate in a very different mode. The day is guided more by the position of the sun than by the diary, obligations fade into the background, and the reward system receives plenty of what it likes: good food, time with favourite people, sleep, exercise and nature. Back at work, that picture changes abruptly – and it is precisely this contrast that many find difficult.

A GP with a particular focus on pressures at work puts it this way: the longer the break, the bigger the jump back into the old routine. Anyone who has spent weeks without an alarm clock first has to “put themselves back together” in the office. Studies show that almost one in two people notice a marked dip in mood after a holiday. The good feeling from time off often disappears within a few days.

Experts emphasise: it is not work itself, but the sudden change and excessive expectations that make the return so difficult.

The encouraging news is that a few well-considered habits can soften this dip considerably – and carry some of that holiday feeling into everyday life.

1. Ease back in rather than going full speed from day one

Many people arrive home on Sunday evening and are back at their desk by 8 am on Monday. Medical specialists consider this a poor approach. The body needs a transition period to switch back into work mode.

• Build in a buffer: Ideally, allow two or three days off between travelling home and the first working day.
• Get everyday life in order: Unpack, do the laundry, shop for essentials and tidy the home.
• Catch up digitally: Review emails, organise appointments and set priorities – without immediate pressure to perform.

There is another practical tip: do not make a big announcement about exactly when you will be back. Keeping a deliberately “low-profile” first day in the office gives you space to deal with important tasks calmly, rather than immediately being bombarded with calls and requests. This helps restore the feeling of being in charge of your own diary.

2. Talk about your holiday – without the stress of comparisons

Psychologists explicitly recommend talking about the holiday afterwards. Telling others about enjoyable moments, places or encounters extends the positive feeling. The brain revisits those memories, including the emotions felt at the time.

Many people underestimate this effect. Describing to friends, colleagues or family what felt especially restorative reactivates the “holiday film in your head”. Your mood can brighten noticeably, even when you are already back on the commuter train.

Sharing experiences works like a second, short break – as long as it does not turn into showing off or envious comparisons.

That is exactly where the trap lies: many people boast about dream beaches and luxury resorts on social media. Comparing yourself with them can quickly leave you feeling left behind. Experts therefore advise focusing on personal highlights: sunrise by a lake, a long breakfast on the balcony, or a board game with the children – rather than the outward “wow factor”.

3. Do not question your whole life at once

No sooner are some people back at their desk than a thought flashes through their mind: “I don’t want to carry on like this.” Suddenly, the job seems unbearable, the relationship fragile and the home too small. This urge for a radical fresh start has much to do with the contrast between freedom and obligation.

Occupational psychologists warn against making major decisions while still in the emotional holiday bubble. At this point, many people are inclined to set enormous goals: a complete career change, moving abroad, a perfect fitness plan and learning a new language – all at the same time. That is almost bound to fail and create frustration.

• Choose small, realistic steps instead of overturning your life plan.
• Target specific areas for adjustment: working hours, breaks and the division of tasks.
• Write down desired changes and review them again after a few weeks, with some distance.

Anyone who wants to make lasting changes needs clarity, not holiday nostalgia. It makes more sense to stabilise routines first, then calmly consider where action is genuinely needed.

4. Bring positive holiday habits into everyday life

On holiday, many people treat their bodies remarkably well without giving it much thought. More sleep, more movement, fresher food and more conversation can all continue after returning home, even in smaller doses.

Four health measures recommended by doctors

Area	Practical approach after a holiday
Diet	Eat light meals, plenty of seasonal fruit and vegetables, and avoid eating too late or too heavily in the evening.
Sleep	Go to bed earlier, put your phone away in good time, and follow your own tiredness cues rather than rigidly watching the clock.
Movement	Walk more journeys, take the stairs instead of the lift, get off one stop early, and take short walks during the lunch break.
Social life	Deliberately make time for people close to you, such as shared evening meals or regular phone calls.

Many underestimate how powerful even small adjustments can be. A 20-minute walk after work can do more for your mood than another hour in front of a laptop. And a simple, fresh evening meal with someone who listens relieves stress more effectively than any television binge.

Anyone who builds selected holiday rituals into everyday life often notices after just a few days: their old life does not have to feel exactly as it did before the holiday.

5. Plan the next break – even if it is only a mini-trip

A technique from positive psychology is that anticipation is among the strongest sources of happiness. Those who at least broadly plan their next break immediately after returning keep their emotional reserves topped up for longer. Some experts say this can multiply the duration of the “holiday effect”.

It does not have to involve a long-haul flight. What matters is that the mind has a clear goal: a long weekend in the mountains, a city break, a spa day or visiting friends. Many recommend consciously getting away again before the darker time of year begins, to take the edge off accumulated stress.

• Check the diary and set a realistic period.
• Decide broadly who you would like to spend the break with and what form it should take.
• Introduce a small ritual, such as an “anticipation list” of things you are especially looking forward to.

When the blues persist: take warning signs seriously

A slight slump during the first few days is normal. However, if the low mood continues for weeks, sleep remains poor, interests disappear or anxiety develops, those affected should take notice. What appears to be post-holiday blues may then be the start of exhaustion or even depression.

GPs and psychotherapists repeatedly report that periods after holidays can reveal how overloaded people already were beforehand. The pressure drops away during the break – then, on returning to everyday life, they realise their batteries were far more depleted than they had thought. Early conversations with professionals, the HR department or trusted colleagues can prevent the situation from escalating.

How employers can make the return easier

It is not only individuals who benefit when employees do not burn out immediately after their holiday; companies do too. Workplace wellbeing specialists recommend, for example:

• Do not schedule major projects in the first week back.
• Use team meetings to share experiences rather than only asking for performance figures.
• Offer return-to-work conversations to identify pressures early.
• Allow more flexible working hours in the first few days, such as later starts.

Where employees feel they are not expected to function at 120 per cent immediately, returning is significantly easier. The effect is visible not only in mood but also in performance over the following months.

Small everyday anchors with a big effect

Anyone consciously starting September, or the period after other holidays, can create a few mental handholds for themselves. A fixed Monday morning ritual, a weekly exercise commitment or one evening each week with no plans at all – such anchors provide structure and recharge your inner battery.

Ultimately, the aim is to soften the contrast between “holiday = living” and “everyday life = functioning”. The more holiday qualities – time, closeness, enjoyment, movement and sleep – that reappear in small portions during ordinary weeks, the fewer opportunities the post-holiday blues will have.