We all love vacations.
A break, a pause from hectic day-to-day life to immerse in nature, or perhaps on a sunset beach with a cocktail, it's a marvelous time to recharge. But as much as we love and appreciate how much it can rejuvenate our souls, the pain that comes after when we resume back to our business as usual is real.
Whether it be work, exercise, maintaining a healthy diet, responsible alcohol consumption, or a good sleep pattern can be quite hard to get back into the energy we once had before we went on the trip. I've just got out from a 4 weeks vacuum of life disruption and will be another four weeks easily that it will remain pretty much the same, that's 8 weeks! (Anxious). It wasn't really a vacation, far from it, more like a duty boot camp but it did take away my time out of the normal life I lived.
I work from home, I have my usual fixed times to do things to keep myself super disciplined in order to achieve what I aim for and not drift away in the ocean of free time with no deadline. This is why I need to keep up with my system. To maintain regular rhythm, discipline, and motivation, I have to have a good system that guides my days, weeks, and ultimately, years.
"Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"– Marry Oliver.
I'll talk about the productivity system and tools that I've been developing some other time, for today– let's just vent about the loss of momentum and how difficult it is to resume back to work (which is this screen and writing this...)
First, you have to remember that momentum is hard to gain as it requires sustained effort and persistence over time. To build momentum, you need to consistently take action toward your goals, which can be challenging when faced with obstacles and setbacks (yes, in this scenario, vacation is a kind of setback). Essentially, momentum requires a certain level of discipline and focus, as it can be easy to become distracted or discouraged along the way.
Another factor that can make momentum hard to gain is that it often requires stepping out of your comfort zone and maintaining discipline. This brief comfort zone on a vacation is basically living a life of eternal sunshine, not many would like coming home to the daily chores, going back to work, or hitting the gym, more than lying carfree soaking up some sun, reading your favorite book, staying in a nice hotel where you don't need to clean or to cook, you know the drill.
That's why it's hard to get your ducks in a row when you return home and are not clear on your current goals, or don't have a clear plan of action yet. It can be difficult to stay motivated and make progress without a sense of direction, especially when you come back from a totally different lifestyle. This is why coming home from a long vacation or any kind of disruption in life– you find yourself back in the liminal space. It is the space where you've left point A (where you were motivated and consistent in work and life) but haven't yet arrived to point B (where you're back to being motivated and consistent in work and life again!).
I have some tips that have been put to work over the years since I was single and living alone, and now that I'm married. The degree of the post-holiday blue has been easing a lot but in short, I think the below list still works.
- Starting during the time while you are still on vacation, try to maintain your daily activities or the core rituals as much as you can. If you have a morning ritual of meditating, journaling, then going for a run, try to keep that up if not every day but at least do it as regularly as you can. Try to establish a smooth transition between vacation life and normal life and you will thank yourself when you come home.
- Once you're back, be mindful of how you're feeling. Knowing that it's real, this anxiety, this uncomfortable feeling inside that stops you from wanting to move or do anything. There's a very fine line between feeling lazy and depressed and post-holiday depression is real, it's depression. Try to schedule some relaxing activities that might remind you of the time on vacation, or reach out to family and friends, and if it prolongs for more than a week, seek professional help.
- Try to relax and allow yourself to rest. I mean it, try not to beat yourself up to all the pending tasks and chores, the meetings and deadlines. Remember that they will be all taken care of eventually, but for now, you need to be kind to yourself and breathe. Self-love and care will get you out of the blue fast, now go run yourself a nice, guilt-free hot bath.
- Let go of (or at least, not cling to it too tightly) the memories of the trip to the point you find yourself compared to the life you normally live. Keep in mind the realistic good vibe and the security of your home and your life, even your work.
- Slowly get back into your routine. Routine isn't bad and boring, it actually works as an operating system that runs your life and delivers you the result of who you are and where you are in life. So if you come home from a vacation and don't like the way you live or if life seems to not meet your expectations, don't blame life– rethink your system.
- Take plenty of rest, eat a healthy diet, cut back on alcohol, and get into as many physical activities as you can. Dopamine, endorphins, and good nutrition will help you fight that anxiety of the post-holiday blues.
This is the reason why coming back from a vacation can feel a little bit like coming out from being married or losing a loved one. Because the depression is real.
Reiterate this concept of self-love; It's OK to rest, and it's OK for things to fall a little bit behind. You needed that resting time and now that you're back, remember to check in on how you feel and allow the feelings to arise. Know that the anxiety, even depression, is real then let it pass through you while you keep maintaining the good energy to stay motivated and positive.
This too shall pass. Then soon it'll be time to plan for the next trip– yay! Do it again, do it a lot, and you'll be a pro.
Do more of what makes you happy. My personal self-care list is right here.
