Feeling nostalgic for summer? Tips to beat the back-to-work blues
By Kate Whannel, Business reporter, and Nick Triggle, Health correspondent
The alarm wakes you with a shock, signaling the end of summer and the time to face that inbox full of unread emails. Last week, life was very different. You enjoyed lazy mornings, late nights, and a balance between family time and 'me time'.
Here are some strategies to ease the transition back to work:
Tick off small tasks
Instead of diving headfirst into tackling the most challenging task, careers coach Sarah Robinson suggests starting with small, manageable tasks for a "smooth re-entry".
"Try to build momentum," she advises. "Sometimes it can feel overwhelming when you've got a massive inbox."
Counsellor Susan Carr agrees, suggesting a more forgiving approach where possible: "Don't put excessive pressure on yourself. Perhaps have a lighter day going through emails rather than a day packed with back-to-back meetings."
Tara Humphrey, a primary care leadership consultant, recommends setting up an out-of-office reply and taking some time to adjust: "It's about hiding... to give yourself some headspace." She also suggests deleting emails from the time off to avoid feeling overwhelmed.
Stay 'tourist' in your own life
Carr encourages remembering the aspects of your holiday that were enjoyable and integrating them into your daily routine. While a siesta every day might be unrealistic, you could cook a Spanish dish or explore your local area as if you were a tourist.
Psychotherapist Dr Joy Conlon agrees, suggesting incorporating restorative practices from your holiday into your daily life, such as evening walks, mindful eating, reading before bed, or spending more time outdoors.
Reflect on your role
Instead of treating the symptoms, Carr suggests reflecting on the root cause of your back-to-work blues. Before her current role, she worked as a solicitor. She realized that her stress levels had been increasing before her holiday and that her return to work was a sign she needed a change.
How do you know if it's temporary nostalgia or genuine unhappiness with your job? Carr notes that prolonged feelings of sadness or stress could be a sign of a deeper issue.