Missing Summer Already? Simple Ways to Beat the Back-to-Work Blues

Returning to work after a summer holiday can be a difficult adjustment. One day you are enjoying slow mornings, late evenings and time with family; the next, the alarm goes off and you are faced with an overflowing inbox.

The transition can feel especially challenging in September, when daylight hours begin to shrink. But experts say there are several ways to make the return to everyday working life less stressful.

Start with Small Wins

After a holiday, it can be tempting to tackle the most difficult task immediately. Careers coach Sarah Robinson suggests taking the opposite approach: start with smaller, achievable jobs.

Working through manageable tasks can help rebuild confidence and create a sense of momentum instead of making a large backlog of emails feel overwhelming.

Counsellor Susan Carr also recommends lowering expectations for the first day back whenever the job allows it. Rather than filling the day with meetings and major projects, workers could use the time to catch up on emails and gradually get back into their normal routine.

Primary care leadership consultant Tara Humphrey takes this approach even further by keeping her out-of-office message active on her first day back. This gives her some breathing space and helps reduce anxiety about missing something important while away.

One former colleague, she recalls, took a much more radical approach: he simply deleted all emails received during his holiday, reasoning that anyone who really needed him would contact him again.

Bring Some Holiday Habits Home

The end of a holiday does not necessarily mean giving up everything that made it enjoyable.

Counsellor Susan Carr suggests thinking about which parts of a trip brought the most pleasure and finding ways to incorporate them into everyday life. A daily afternoon siesta may not be practical, but cooking food inspired by a favourite destination could recreate some of the holiday atmosphere.

Another option is to become a tourist in your own city. When travelling, people often notice local architecture, museums and historic buildings. At home, however, they may overlook attractions that are right on their doorstep.

Psychotherapist Dr Joy Conlon recommends bringing at least one restorative holiday habit back into daily life. This could be an evening walk, spending more time outside, reading before bed or having meals without looking at a phone or computer.

Don't Ignore What Your Holiday Reveals

Sometimes the post-holiday slump is more than simple nostalgia. It can also reveal deeper dissatisfaction with work.

Susan Carr experienced this herself when she was working as a solicitor. She had already noticed that something was wrong and felt increasingly stressed before going on holiday. After returning, however, her emotions became overwhelming, and she found herself crying every day.

For her, the experience was not simply a sign that she needed time to readjust. It prompted her to reconsider her career and eventually move into counselling.

So how can people distinguish between temporary disappointment that a holiday is over and genuine unhappiness at work?

Carr says two important factors are the intensity of the feelings and how long they last. Fantasising about quitting your job while relaxing on a beach is normal, but making a major career decision immediately may not be the best response.

Instead, she recommends taking time to reflect and consider what changes might actually improve your working life.

Plan the Next Break

There is another surprisingly effective way to cope with the end of a holiday: start thinking about the next one.

Dr Mark Williamson, chief executive of the charity Action for Happiness, says that anticipation itself can contribute to the positive effects of a holiday.

The type of break may matter too. Research suggests that holidays involving physical activity can provide greater wellbeing benefits than spending the entire time lying by a pool.

Walking, cycling, swimming and exploring a new place can leave people feeling more refreshed when they return home.

The length of a holiday is also important. Longer breaks can provide a stronger boost to wellbeing, but that effect may disappear more quickly once people return to work and face a larger backlog of tasks.

Shorter, more frequent breaks may therefore offer a better balance. A five-day trip may provide nearly as much refreshment as a longer holiday while allowing people to take breaks more regularly.

The end of summer does not have to mean the end of relaxation. By easing back into work, preserving enjoyable holiday habits and planning regular breaks, it may be possible to carry some of that summer feeling into everyday life.