Back to Work After Vacation? Fight the Post-PTO Blues

Have you just gone back to work after vacation? Are you still dreaming about Florence’s majestic Cathedral and that amazing ice cream shop next to it? Maybe you can’t stop thinking about how fun it was to go snorkeling in Key West, or wish you never left skiing on Lake Tahoe? Whatever it is, we can all agree that the first day back at work after any paid time off can be tough. After all, who wouldn’t want to stay on vacation forever?

However, when instead of a normal disquiet, going back unleashes more negative feelings, it’s time to address your blues. Research shows that an alarming 87% of people going back to work experience anxiety or stress on returning. Check out our suggestions to never be part of that statistic ever again.

How to Go Back to Work After Vacation Without the Woes

Now that we established that a certain uneasiness to return to the office after PTO is normal, it’s time to run for cover if it triggers anything more. Below we collected a series of actions you can take to minimize this discomfort. We don’t intend it, however, as a prescription, on the contrary, we encourage you to be open and explore the ways that work best for you.

1. Complete What You Can Before Leaving and Designate a Colleague for Urgent Matters

In the days leading up to a vacation, it’s tempting to mentally check out already. Try and push through, though, and finish whatever projects you have pending. You’ll be glad you did once you go back to work after vacation. Make sure to also delegate any urgent issues that might occur in your absence to a trusted colleague.

Prepare this person for anything they might have to face, and reference them directly in your out-of-office email reply. Anticipating problems now helps them resolve without you during your precious days off.

2. Prepare a To-Do List for Your First Day Back at Work

Once again, here you’ll get ahead of the game and prepare a well-detailed list of things you’ll need to do once back, all ready and waiting for your future self. Depending on the relationship you have with your manager or coworker, you could also arrange for them to send you an email the day before your return with all the news you missed and need to be aware of. This can help take the pressure off on the first day.

3. Have a No-Meetings Policy for Your First Morning Back

If you’re able to, block off your calendar for the first few hours of your return. Nobody will be able to pull you into any surprise meetings - although we can’t promise they won’t still try. You’ll be able to address your previously mentioned to-do list, go through emails without interruptions, and not be part of that 77% of employees that dream of quitting their job when they return from PTO.

4. Don’t Check Your Email or Work Phone While Away, Seriously!

It turns out that it’s not just cheese and wine that might attract you to French culture. Did you know that in France, it’s illegal for employers to contact you or expect you to answer work-related communications during your vacations and time off? So, when getting back to your job after a break, adopt a French attitude.

Promise yourself that you’ll never be part of that scary 60% of employees that check work-related emails while on PTO anymore. Plus, don’t do it just on principle, but to set important boundaries at work. Leaving your work devices at home means you’ll be able to disconnect completely and be less likely to resent anybody once you’re back to work after vacation, and therefore you’ll be less likely to suffer from burnout in the long run.

5. Take a Buffer Day Between Your Vacation and Return to Work

Instead of returning home on a Sunday night and going straight back to the office on Monday, take a day to transition more gently back to your routine. It will give you time to recover both mentally and physically, especially if you’ve traveled overseas or had a particularly hectic time. You’ll also have time to stock up your fridge and run any errands, so you’ll be ready to power start your week with everything in place.

6. Tidy Up Your House Before Leaving

There is nothing worse than coming home tired and jetlagged to a messy house and a sink full of dirty dishes - yikes! Make the effort to clean and tidy up before leaving. Removing the dread of sorting out your house on top of any stress surrounding going back to work after vacation, will do wonders for your anxiety levels. If you really don’t have time and as long as you can afford it, you can also hire someone to make your house spotless for your arrival.

7. Unpack the Same Day You Return

Unless you come back in the middle of the night, try to unpack as soon as possible. Imagine going back to work after the holidays, still daydreaming about those delicious French croissants but also having to unpack. Leaving this less-than-fun task for days or even weeks will only make you feel worse at the end of each work day and prolong the return to ‘real life’.

8. Plan Things to Look Forward to

Whether it’s preparing in advance and freezing some delicious homemade food for your return or having a takeaway from your favorite restaurant, have a plan in place to make you feel cozy and happy to be home again. Also, don’t wait to get absorbed by routine again, plan an activity or gathering with friends or family that makes you feel excited – ideally after a few weeks have passed from your PTO.

9. Eat Well, Get Outside and Move

Once you go back to work after vacation, it’s important to keep those serotonin levels up, perhaps more than usual. Eat fresh and nutritious food, go outside to soak up some vitamin D, and move your body regularly. During the winter months in particular, you might finish work when it’s dark outside.

This can trigger even more unpleasant thoughts after coming back from a (possibly sunny) holiday. To feel better, take a walk during your lunch break with your colleagues or your furry friend if you work remotely. You’ll feel more energized and productive overall.

10. Organize Your Next Vacation

If going back to work after vacation makes you feel sad, starting to think about your next destination might help. Once again, it will give you something to be excited about. After all, we work to live not live to work right? Plus, scheduling your next PTO break well in advance also helps your company will be organized for your absence.

If all these suggestions don’t bring you any relief from that typical sadness people experience after a vacation, you might want to check in more deeply with yourself.

Are Your PTO Woes a Symptom of Something More?

61% of employees report having to work longer hours post-PTO to catch up, so some added stress can be quite common in the first couple of weeks of going back to work after vacation. However, it’s time to take action if your feelings:

• last longer than a couple of weeks
• start to show up every Monday just from a weekend off
• are accompanied by constant irritability and a lack of focus
• start to impact your life outside of work as well

If this sounds like you, take some time to reflect in the following ways:

Analyze Your Work Situation

If going back to the office after the holidays feel dreadful and you’re constantly stressed, perhaps the problem is that you simply have too much to do. You wouldn’t be alone either. 48% of employees report working on understaffed teams. However, feeling overloaded can really take a toll on your mental health. Schedule a conversation with your manager to try and find a solution.

Another possible cause could be that you need a career change. Maybe you lost motivation in your job because there’s something missing, or the field in which you work doesn’t match your values or needs anymore. If that’s the case, don’t be afraid to try something new.

Seek Help from a Specialist

Depending on your situation, professional support can be in the form of a career coach, a mental health counselor in your company, or a private therapist. Whichever you choose, they should work with you to help you determine the root of your feelings. Then, they can support you to act and take back control of your life.

Make Going Back to Work After Vacation a Joy with Help from Monster

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