Beating the Post-Vacation Blues
Think back to right before your last vacation. What were you feeling as you prepared to hit the road or head to the airport? Excitement? Adventure? Maybe even a little restless? You may not know how to describe it, but you probably know that feeling - the anticipation of knowing you’re going to see someplace new and have fun experiences. Shortly after, you go on the trip and have a blast. But after a few days or weeks, it must come to an end. That’s when another feeling hits.
You start to get a little emotional. It’s good to be home, but you would also give anything to go back. All you can think about is how much you wish you were still there. While the feeling will ultimately go away, here are a few tricks to pick you up for those few days that you are longing to be away from home.
The first is by looking at photos from your trip. You probably already take photos while on vacation, but if not, it’s a simple way to look back on what you did and reminisce. Try to take pictures of places that you were at a lot, like a beach or a lodge. That way when you get back home, you can look back at those photos to cheer you up.
Another way might be by doing relaxing activities for your first few days home. If you enjoy going on walks, find time to take one. If you find sunbathing while listening to music relaxing, go for it. If it’s wintertime, turn on your fireplace or watch a movie under a blanket. This will help your body ease back into your daily life.
A final way to get past these blues is by planning another trip somewhere. It may sound a bit odd, but a study published in the journal, Applied Research in Quality of Life, says that simply planning a vacation can lead to an increase in happiness. Look into a place you might be interested in visiting and build your itinerary. List all the things you want to do and the places you want to go. You don’t even have to go on the trip. All you have to do is plan one!
Next time you go on a trip, try to apply some of these tips to help improve your mood for at least the first few days after you return. You should find yourself having a much easier time getting back into the swing of things and being much happier at school or work. You could even try to use these things outside of just returning from vacation. If you’re feeling sad or just out of it, do some of the things listed above. Sometimes, the only part of the body that needs to change its location is the mind.
Reference: Nawijn, J., Marchand, M., Veenhoven, R., & Vingerhoets, A. (2010). Vacationers happier, but most not happier after a holiday. Applied Research in Quality Life, 5, 35-47.
Challenges/Points:
Many people have initial feelings of sadness upon returning from a trip.
Remember, the feeling is only temporary, you will get reacquainted with your daily environment within a few days.
Vacation photos, doing relaxing activities, and planning your next trip are all ways to overcome the “post-vacation blues.”
Questions:
What feelings do you remember having after you returned from a trip?
How long does it usually take you to overcome those feelings?
What strategies do you already use to escape the “post-vacation blues”?
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