How To Get Out Of The Post-Vacation Blues ?

Have you experienced post-vacation blues? (Image via Pexels/ Andrea)
Have you experienced post-vacation blues? (Image via Pexels/ Andrea)

Travelers frequently experience post-vacation blues, also known as post-vacation or post-travel depression after their vacation or holiday. This syndrome is characterized by a general decline in happiness and productivity at work following a satisfying vacation.

The term post-vacation depression refers to unfavorable feelings or depression that some people may encounter upon returning from a trip. Even though a trip can potentially reduce stress and lift your spirits, the benefits might not always linger once you get back home.

For some, sadness is a common experience after returning from a vacation. (Image via Unsplash/ Sinitta)
For some, sadness is a common experience after returning from a vacation. (Image via Unsplash/ Sinitta)

What are the Symptoms of Post-Vacation Blues ?

Even if it is not a disgnosable condition, it doesn't mean it has to be ignored. (Image via Pexels/ Gustavo)
Even if it is not a disgnosable condition, it doesn't mean it has to be ignored. (Image via Pexels/ Gustavo)

The depression that some people may experience upon returning from vacation is referred to as post-vacation depression, which is not a clinically recognized condition.

A person's daily life, especially interpersonal connections, and performance when returning to work or school, may be affected by post-vacation depression symptoms. The following signs of post-vacation depression may appear in people:

  • General anxiety
  • Higher irritation
  • Feeling melancholy
  • Inability to sleep
  • Significant unease or discomfort

After returning from vacation, symptoms may persist for up to two weeks and may have an impact on how well someone performs at work, in class, or in their relationships.


How To Get Out Of The Post‐Vacation Blues?

People can change how they return from vacation to their daily lives by taking specific steps. This might comprise:

1) Post-Travel Acclimatization

The transition can be difficult, but it is possible with some effort. (Image via Pexels/ Rodnae)
The transition can be difficult, but it is possible with some effort. (Image via Pexels/ Rodnae)

The transition back to your regular work/school schedule after a trip is the most difficult. However, you may make that adjustment much smoother if you give yourself a day or two to get used to your regular schedule.

Even if you haven't traveled through any time zones, returning to your regular routine after a fun and spontaneous trip can be challenging and can very easily give rise to feelings of post-vacation blues. This will also allow you some time to organize yourself before you get busy again.


2) Introduce a New Hobby

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It happens frequently for people to come upon a tradition or practice they desire to adopt at home. After all, one of the main reasons people travel is to experience new cultures.

You can decide to continue learning a different language. You could wish to experiment with a different approach to yoga, meditation, dance, gardening, or cooking. You might want to downsize your material goods. Whatever techniques you find appealing while traveling, think about how you can apply them to the life you're now leading and bid goodbye to the post-vacation blues.


3) Try out the Cuisine you Loved While Travelling

Try out the food that you loved while travelling. (Image via Pexels/ Tatiana)
Try out the food that you loved while travelling. (Image via Pexels/ Tatiana)

There are many ways to bring enthusiasm from your trip into your daily life and beat those post-vacation blues. Why not make a trip to the grocery store and prepare some fascinating meals based on your vacation staples? Tasting different foods and flavors is one of the best joys of traveling. Consider visiting grocery stores and eateries in areas with sizable populations from that region if you wish to savor a cuisine you tried while on your vacation.


4) Keep your Trip Spirit Alive!

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Who says your journey must come to an end when you get home? Plan to tour your neighborhood like a tourist after you get home. Visit the most well-known attractions, take a walking tour, board a tour bus, enroll in a cooking class, and take a ton of pictures.

To understand more about your hometown's past, you could even schedule a day of museum hopping. This is a great way to cope up with the post-vacation blues. With this outlook, you can discover that your hometown is an interesting destination to visit after traveling and returning there.


5) Organize your Upcoming Trip

Make space for an upcoming trip! (Image via Pexels/ Cottonbro)
Make space for an upcoming trip! (Image via Pexels/ Cottonbro)

Making plans for your upcoming trip is one of the finest methods to get your mind off the post-vacation blues. Make a list of all the places you've always wanted to travel after taking a seat. After that, start formulating a strategy for how you can make it happen. If you adopt a new focus in your life, you'll be able to divert attention from your prior journey.


6) Make Improvements

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Vacations can stimulate the mind and occasionally even change your life. We acquire perspective when we are removed from our regular routines and orbits. If you've been contemplating your life's meaning, objectives, connections with others, social standing, or general quality, it might be a good idea to start taking little steps in that direction right away.

According to research, those who are motivated to change are more successful when they take tiny, targeted efforts.


Your mental health can be adversely impacted by post-vacation blues, which can endure for weeks or months. The fact that travel is transformative is a major factor in this. You'll feel like a different person after traveling the globe, yet everyone you meet again might not change.

Planning pleasurable activities for when you go back and documenting your trip to preserve memories, along with giving yourself a few days to adjust before going back to work, may be helpful. With little determination, perspective, understanding of the values acquired from holidays, and self-care, one can overcome the post-vacation blues.


Janvi Kapur is a counselor with a Master's degree in applied psychology with a specialization in clinical psychology.


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