The sun has set on those endless, carefree summer days.
You’ve swapped sunbeds for office chairs, and your inbox has been waiting for you like a needy pet. Sounds familiar, right? If you’re feeling the back-to-work blues, you’re not alone. The post-vacation depression is as real as it gets; everyone experiences it at work.
But fear not! The melancholy doesn’t have to linger like sand in your shoes.
Summer’s gone, and back-to-work blues are here; now what?
Returning from a holiday isn’t easy. It can feel like you’ve been hit with a ton of bricks. One moment, you’re by the beach, sipping cocktails, and the next, you’re rushing to respond to emails.
But why do those back-to-work blues hit so hard? It’s just work, after all. It turns out that transitioning from relaxation mode to productivity mode is like going from zero to 100 overnight. Don’t see it as a lack of motivation. Your brain needs time to adjust. Think of it as a mental reboot after switching off for a while.
Pro tip: Start small to stay focused. After your holidays, productivity shouldn’t be an all-or-nothing game. Start with the easy, more manageable tasks. Check your emails, catch up with colleagues, and organize your workload. Completing these tasks will give you a little dopamine boost to set the tone for the day.
Pump up the positivity (like Rocky)
The key is to reset your mindset. Cue the iconic Rocky training music—this is the moment to rise and reclaim your groove. This means reconnecting with your purpose, rediscovering the joy of your role, and remembering why you loved your job in the first place.
Pro tip: Make a short list of what you love most about your job. Keep it visible—on your desk or phone. Every time the post-vacation blues creep in, look at that list. It will work as your personal motivator to help you find your tempo again.
From FOMO to future focus
The post-vacation FOMO (fear of missing out) on beach days, barbecues, and late-night summer adventures is real. But don’t focus on what’s behind you. Flip the script and look ahead. Summer is only a chapter; it isn’t the whole book. Now’s the time to shift your energy from what you’ve missed to what’s possible in the future.
See this time as a reset. See it as a chance to explore things outside your comfort zone. Embrace the opportunity to focus on growth. Both personal and professional. Plant your seeds now, so by the next time summer is around, you’ll have leveled up in ways that will make your next break even sweeter.
Pro tip: Channel your energy into learning something new. Whether it’s a skill that will boost your career or a course that sparks your curiosity. This is the moment to invest in yourself. Learning and development will fuel your future. So, see L&D as the carrot, not the stick. You could support a colleague on a project they’re working on, take on a new online course, or ask your manager for mentoring sessions to boost a specific soft skill, like agility.
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Make productivity fun
Too much work without some fun elements will hurt people’s engagement and motivation.
But the fix doesn’t require a second holiday. Leadership can help employees beat the post-vacation blues in many ways. One is to build fun into the workday. Think gamified learning, nanolearning, workshops that inspire, or casual Friday brainstorming sessions over coffee.
Pro tip: Don’t rely solely on formal workplace initiatives. Sprinkle some fun into your day. Find a work buddy to check in with. Whether it’s a quick coffee break, a virtual lunch, or simply exchanging funny memes, staying connected makes workdays lighter. It’s a way of saying, “We’ve got this!” while having fun.
Turning the back-to-work blues into breakthroughs
Whether you’re dreading the return or just finding your feet again, one thing’s clear.
The back-to-work blues are real. But they don’t have to be a roadblock. Use these tips to take charge, reconnect with your job, and turn the post-holiday slump into an opportunity.
Summer may be over, but your energy doesn’t have to be.