Much to your partner's dismay, the fairy lights and tinsel went up months ago, the over-sized Christmas tree tore into the lounge like a bat out of hell, and the year-long healthy eating pact went out the window just as fast as that chocolate-free chocolate slice went into the bin. (Spoiler alert: healthy eating is a beautiful idea but you need chocolate to make a chocolate slice!)
And now, after months of decorations, alcohol- and food-induced festivities, and the overwhelming view of green and red everywhere, Christmas is over. Decorations are lying on the ground as lifeless as those brown tree needles, the novelty of the 10,000 fairy lights in your living room has now worn off, and there’s an overwhelming urge to be super productive and start packing up – but not too overwhelming because 5 seconds later, you find yourself in bed in the fetal position wondering where the holidays went and how you are going to survive the reality of going back to work.
The post-holiday blues are very real and something we all dread. Unfortunately, there’s no ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to dealing with the post-holiday blues but we’ve put a few ideas together to help you get over them and get you starting the new year right.
Going back to work on a Monday is never expected to be the greatest, so why would going back after a 2-week holiday be any different? It’s not going to be fun and it’s going to take some time to adjust, so be realistic with yourself. Going cold turkey (pun intended) isn’t for everyone so it’s good to compromise.
Plan to hang out with friends on the weekend or catch up for dinner during the week – that way, you are still being social and you can all help ease each other back into the working week. And when we say ease, we mean it. Easing does not mean that just because you had 20 cocktails a night on holiday that 10 is now a more appropriate amount! Steve + 20 cocktails may have been a fun time in Ibiza but we can guarantee he won’t be fun in the office the next morning…
Another reason the post-holiday blues hit so hard is because we like to look forward to something – so start planning! Always wanted to do a marathon? Book it in and start training! And if running isn’t your cup of tea – or slice of bread - book a mid-winter weekend away with friends. Having little things to look forward to will make time go by faster and make it easier to get over the holidays. .
As hard as that probably was to read, trust us, it was a lot harder to write. The holiday period is festive and fun and is pretty much impossible to navigate without picking up a few un-wanted kilos here and there. And while eating and drinking all the things feels amazing at the time, it can be an incredibly hard habit to break once the holidays are over, and even after that.
To make it easier on yourself, try and be a bit health conscious once you get back to work. As you prepare yourself to get back into the swing of things, plan some exercise too. This will be a great way to start a new routine and keep your mind, body and soul feeling refreshed. If it doesn’t sound achievable straight away, no worries, just keep it in mind.
And speaking of mind, how about you mind out the way while we get that last piece of cake…
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