Handling Post-Holiday Blues
Beat the post-holiday blues by bringing that vacation feeling into your everyday life.
Heading back to normalcy after a holiday can be a bit rough. We all wish vacations could last forever and we can often find ourselves starting to get into a funk as the end date of our blissful getaway’s creeps closer. We seem to have accepted post-holiday blues as a given…but what is it about vacations that seem so much rosier than our everyday routines and how can we bring that into our lives?
It might seem ridiculous to ask yourself “what did I like most about my holiday” but it is helpful to look past the surface answer of “not doing what I normally do” and dig deeper to uncover what it is that really refreshed you.
Have a read through below and see if any of these resonate for you. I’ve included some suggestions on how you can re-create your favourite vacation feelings and enjoy them every day. These may not be quite right for you, but hopefully they will spark some ideas as to how you can adapt the idea and bring it into your life.
I enjoyed not having a routine
Good news! It is possible to bring a sense of spontaneity into a routine! You can try a new lunch spot at work, pick a library book at random, or enjoy a date night where you alternate decisions. You could keep a day (or a couple of hours) in the weekend free of plans and just see where the wind blows you. If you’re feeling adventurous, you could give “The Getting Lost Game” a try and see where you end up! https://gettinglost.co.nz/
I loved the change of scenery
Sometimes a change of scenery is just what the soul needs to feel like it’s free to recharge. Create mini changes by going places you normally wouldn’t at times you normally wouldn’t.
I ate such delicious food
Isn’t it odd how we seem to reserve “nice things” for “special occasions” ? The good china, that lovely bottle of wine, the good jam – all saved for a special occasion. Well, maybe it’s time to bring that holiday food into your everyday menu a bit more? Instead of eating the same you would on holiday. Find ways to bring your favourite parts in like opening a special bottle of wine one night, eating alfresco, making a cooked brunch on the weekend and inviting some friends over.
I got to see my friends/family
Now that NZ is a bit more open, we should hopefully be able to see each other more than the last few months. One of the best ways to beat the post-holiday blues is plan your next one! Then it’s not so much about looking back longingly but looking forward with excitement. We have a few long weekends coming up, so get booking!
I had such incredible adventures
Adventures aren’t just for holidays; they are for the people who make time. Whether it be getting outside paddleboarding, walking a new neighbourhood or making it your mission to visit every ice cream shop within a 20-minute walk from your house: if you want everyday adventure, you have to create the space. One of the best ways to get started is to right down a few adventurous things you’d like to try and start booking them in.
I did absolutely nothing and it felt so good
To do “nothing”, you will need to learn to say “no thanks” a bit more and you’ll also need to make sure you have a space that you can relax in, in a way that you find relaxing. And when I say “that you find relaxing” that’s because for some people it’s curled up in a comfy corner of the sofa with a good book and absolute silence, and for some it’s elbow deep in the garden in the early morning. It may be that “doing nothing” means nothing on the calendar and you can meander through your admin instead. Whatever it is that recharges you, create the space for more of that and let others know that “you already have plans”, they don’t have to know that the plan is to have no plan.
I hope the above has helped spark some ideas of ways you can shake off the blues and start to bring that vibrant holiday feeling back. If you’d like to go further with refreshing your everyday and creating a lifestyle that works better for you, I’m accepting appointments for one-on-one coaching in 2022 now and you can find out more about that here: https://www.allisonfisher.co.nz/life-career-coaching
Warmly,
Allison
