It happens to all us, we have an amazing summer holiday where we spend 2 weeks enjoying the warmth, luxuries and adventures of life away from work and then we come back down to earth with a bump.
There's nothing worse than being mid-way through a Monday morning and feeling like you've never been away and from an over-flowing in-box to banal conversations with colleagues, it really isn't surprising that the post-holiday blues often tend to kick in around September.
However, it doesn't have to be like that and if you can work on the adage that balance is the key to a happy and healthy life then you'll be beating the blues in no time at all and enjoying every day as if you were on holiday.
Below are just five tips to help you fend off feeling down in the autumn and if you can learn to accept that this is pretty much as natural as leaves falling from the trees then you'll be well on your way to looking forward to your first Monday back at work after your break.
Fit some fun into your day
Why do we only associate having fun and doing things we like with time spent away from work? You maybe chained to a desk or sticking to a time sheet but it doesn't mean that you can't brighten up your day with rewards and treats to put a smile on your face. Lunchtimes and mid-morning/afternoon breaks are perfect for doing things that you like to do and from reading a book to listening to music, make sure you spend your time as wisely as possible. Of course, eating is another source of pleasure when on holiday so why not jazz up your breakfast or be creative with a packed lunch because you don't have to be abroad to spoil yourself with food.
Set your clock
Although the mornings and the evenings are getting darker there's still plenty of time to make the most of your day and from getting up an hour earlier to setting your clock to watch the sun set, you don't have to enjoy the natural world only on your holiday. Often getting up early is the last thing on our mind during the autumnal months however, if you can give yourself an extra hour before your commute to work, you won't be disappointed. A morning jog, a relaxing breakfast or a stroll to watch the sunrise – whatever you fancy doing, making time to enjoy the whole day is ideal for avoiding the holiday blues.
Regain your energy
Often when we're on holiday the chance to rest, relax and dine out consumes our entire being and it's no surprise that we hit a bit of a slump upon returning to the 'real world'. Best advice is to break yourself in gently and don't deny yourself some of the pleasures that you enjoyed on holiday. Of course, a few cheeky tweaks to your routine or diet won't go a miss and if you can try to introduce a couple of healthy options that you might have discovered on holiday then all the better. Fresh fruit, yoghurt, smoothies and a blend of herbs and spices are all great for invigorating your system and if you can wake up a bit earlier or plan your meals the night or week before then you'll be regaining lost energy in no time at all.
Spread a little happiness
It's easy for us to feel slightly depressed about our state of mind when we return from holiday but what about all those poor souls who haven't been away? The more we learn to care and think about other people's feelings then the more we can feel happy about ourself and if you get the chance to cook for your colleagues or bring them back a holiday treat or two then you'll no doubt be sharing the sunshine and spreading the smiles. Work doesn't have to be all about the gloom and if you can make the time to chat with colleagues or go out of your way to do something nice or organize a social event then you'll be happily immersed back at work in no time at all.
Make some plans
From screen-savers to photographs on our desks, remembering locations and special times is exactly what we should be doing to fend off the post-holiday blues. Of course, working is a necessity if we want to have money to travel however, making plans for the future is free so why not give yourself something to aim for the moment that your holiday is over. From singles adventure holidays to planning a weekend break in Europe, there's such a wealth of choice out there that planning your next time out of the office will keep you smiling all the way through Christmas. Of course, you don't even have to go away to make plans and if your calender is littered with weekends seeing friends, visiting new cities or just walking in the countryside then the 5-day-week will whizz by in no time at all.
Chris is eagerly looking forward to the autumn as he's off to Malaysia in October and plans to bring some sunshine back with him to get through the winter.
There's nothing worse than being mid-way through a Monday morning and feeling like you've never been away and from an over-flowing in-box to banal conversations with colleagues, it really isn't surprising that the post-holiday blues often tend to kick in around September.
However, it doesn't have to be like that and if you can work on the adage that balance is the key to a happy and healthy life then you'll be beating the blues in no time at all and enjoying every day as if you were on holiday.
Below are just five tips to help you fend off feeling down in the autumn and if you can learn to accept that this is pretty much as natural as leaves falling from the trees then you'll be well on your way to looking forward to your first Monday back at work after your break.
Fit some fun into your day
Why do we only associate having fun and doing things we like with time spent away from work? You maybe chained to a desk or sticking to a time sheet but it doesn't mean that you can't brighten up your day with rewards and treats to put a smile on your face. Lunchtimes and mid-morning/afternoon breaks are perfect for doing things that you like to do and from reading a book to listening to music, make sure you spend your time as wisely as possible. Of course, eating is another source of pleasure when on holiday so why not jazz up your breakfast or be creative with a packed lunch because you don't have to be abroad to spoil yourself with food.
Set your clock
Although the mornings and the evenings are getting darker there's still plenty of time to make the most of your day and from getting up an hour earlier to setting your clock to watch the sun set, you don't have to enjoy the natural world only on your holiday. Often getting up early is the last thing on our mind during the autumnal months however, if you can give yourself an extra hour before your commute to work, you won't be disappointed. A morning jog, a relaxing breakfast or a stroll to watch the sunrise – whatever you fancy doing, making time to enjoy the whole day is ideal for avoiding the holiday blues.
Regain your energy
Often when we're on holiday the chance to rest, relax and dine out consumes our entire being and it's no surprise that we hit a bit of a slump upon returning to the 'real world'. Best advice is to break yourself in gently and don't deny yourself some of the pleasures that you enjoyed on holiday. Of course, a few cheeky tweaks to your routine or diet won't go a miss and if you can try to introduce a couple of healthy options that you might have discovered on holiday then all the better. Fresh fruit, yoghurt, smoothies and a blend of herbs and spices are all great for invigorating your system and if you can wake up a bit earlier or plan your meals the night or week before then you'll be regaining lost energy in no time at all.
Spread a little happiness
It's easy for us to feel slightly depressed about our state of mind when we return from holiday but what about all those poor souls who haven't been away? The more we learn to care and think about other people's feelings then the more we can feel happy about ourself and if you get the chance to cook for your colleagues or bring them back a holiday treat or two then you'll no doubt be sharing the sunshine and spreading the smiles. Work doesn't have to be all about the gloom and if you can make the time to chat with colleagues or go out of your way to do something nice or organize a social event then you'll be happily immersed back at work in no time at all.
Make some plans
From screen-savers to photographs on our desks, remembering locations and special times is exactly what we should be doing to fend off the post-holiday blues. Of course, working is a necessity if we want to have money to travel however, making plans for the future is free so why not give yourself something to aim for the moment that your holiday is over. From singles adventure holidays to planning a weekend break in Europe, there's such a wealth of choice out there that planning your next time out of the office will keep you smiling all the way through Christmas. Of course, you don't even have to go away to make plans and if your calender is littered with weekends seeing friends, visiting new cities or just walking in the countryside then the 5-day-week will whizz by in no time at all.
Chris is eagerly looking forward to the autumn as he's off to Malaysia in October and plans to bring some sunshine back with him to get through the winter.
