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Presents. A beautifully decorated Christmas tree. Family, feasts, snow. You’ve been looking forward to December 31 and the holiday weekend with childlike anticipation… and now, it’s over.
The magic is gone. The wait for a miracle has ended-it's time to return to work. In other words, back to routine, the same tasks, and crowded commutes during rush hour. It is no surprise that many of us go through the seven stages of accepting the inevitable-starting with denial and sometimes stopping at depression (not everyone even makes it to acceptance!). But why does this happen, and what can you do to make sure the holidays don't throw you off track, making your return to work feel smooth and natural? That's exactly what we'll cover in this article! And by the way-Happy New Year!
Why is it so hard to go back to work after the holidays?
The causes can generally be divided into biological and non-biological factors. And yes, the fact that you feel so much stress when the holidays end-whether it's a long vacation or just a regular weekend-may be your body's fault. Specifically, disruptions in the production of dopamine and serotonin, the neurotransmitters responsible for joy and satisfaction from achievements. If you want to understand more about the hormonal side of emotions, check out the course "Stress Management. 40 Techniques: Improving Your Life." It covers ways to prevent burnout, boost self-confidence, and, of course, manage stress effectively. Disruptions in the nervous system during the holidays can lead to:
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Alcohol
The problem with alcohol isn't just the strain it puts on the heart and other organs as it breaks down into toxins. It also disrupts your brain's natural dopamine production. Alcohol stimulates dopamine release, but over time, the brain starts relying on it instead of producing dopamine on its own. This is one of the key reasons alcoholism develops-and alcoholism, in turn, is often linked to depression. Even if you don't drink often, consuming large amounts at once interferes with both dopamine and serotonin regulation. This depletes your nervous system, which can lead to anxiety, apathy, and mood swings after what seemed like an enjoyable weekend.
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Overeating
Overeating similarly affects the body, especially when it comes to heavy fats like mayonnaise, margarine, and butter, which require a lot of energy to digest. This is why we often feel sluggish and sleepy after overeating. Tasty food triggers dopamine production, and when we're already in a good mood, this leads to an excessive dopamine surge-more than the nervous system needs. And, of course, stepping on the scale after the holidays and seeing those extra pounds doesn't do much for our mood either.
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Disrupting the sleep-wake cycle
Let's be honest: during the holidays, we stay up until the early hours-celebrating Christmas and New Year's Eve, watching movies late into the night, sleeping in, or even taking an afternoon nap. But our metabolism is closely tied to the natural light cycle, and when our biological clock is thrown off, so is hormone production. For instance, melatonin, the sleep hormone, should be produced at night when we fall asleep. We can experience insomnia and other sleep issues when its production is disrupted.
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Lack of daylight
The lack of sunlight in winter makes this even worse. During the holidays, many people barely step outside, sleeping so late that they wake up when it's already dark. This lack of sunlight leads to vitamin D deficiency, crucial for stabilizing the nervous system.
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Nervous overexcitement
The holiday season is exciting, with preparations, gatherings, and celebrations. We laugh, ice skate, dance with friends, chat all night, and sometimes even argue over something as small as the wrong Christmas tree ornament. While these emotional highs are fun, they can also damage the nervous system. When emotions run high for extended periods or become too intense, they can leave us feeling drained rather than refreshed.
Also, however, the causes of severe stress after the holidays are over may not be biological, and there are many other factors to consider:
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Unfulfilled (or overinflated) expectations
"I wasted my holidays and didn't do anything useful."
"I didn't even get a chance to rest truly-where did all the time go?"
Sound familiar? The key thing to remember is that we usually enter the holiday season emotionally drained from everyday work. That's why lowering our expectations and being kinder to ourselves is important. There's no universal scale to measure how well you rested-no battery indicator on your forehead to show how "charged" you are. In reality, it's impossible to relax 100%, but what is possible is choosing activities that restore your inner resources. And sometimes, that means doing nothing-just lying down and scrolling on your phone. If you've spent weeks working hard beforehand, that's precisely what your nervous system needs. Instead of beating yourself up, plan a different kind of break for the next weekend. Incorporate activities like drawing, going to the gym, or anything else you didn't get around to during the holidays. That way, you won't feel like you missed out-you'll just be spreading your relaxation throughout the year.
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A job you dread returning to
This one is more complicated. If this isn't the first holiday or long weekend after which you don't want to return to work-and the stress is so intense that it lasts for more than a week, leads to emotional breakdowns, or even affects your physical health (insomnia, high blood pressure, digestive issues, etc.)-then it might be time to reevaluate your job and career path. It could be that the problem isn't the holidays at all, but your work itself. A long and enjoyable break may only highlight your more profound need for change, reminding you it's time to make an important decision.
Important! Don't jump to conclusions too quickly. Give yourself a week or two after the holidays to reassess your feelings about your job. This will help you avoid mistaking temporary stress for full-fledged professional burnout. And if you're considering a change, the "Alternative Lifestyle" course might be just what you need to make an informed decision without regrets.
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Accumulated fatigue
But what if you like your job? You didn't overindulge in alcohol or food; the holidays were peaceful and uneventful, yet you still feel drained and can only think about when the next break will come. In that case, take a step back and look at what led to the holidays. How hard have you been working? Did you go through any stressful or emotionally taxing experiences? What state were you in before the holiday break even started? Sometimes, three, seven, or even ten days aren't enough to fully recharge. If that's the case, consider planning another break soon-and in the meantime, try the five recovery strategies we mentioned earlier to help you regain your energy.
5 ways to quickly recover after the holidays
So, how can you beat post-holiday stress and get back on track as smoothly as possible? First, address the specific causes you identified from the list above. And second, follow these simple steps:
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Start preparing for work in advance
This doesn't mean you must force yourself to wake up at 7 AM before necessary, but a sudden schedule shift in one day will only add extra stress to your body. If you've been staying up until 2 AM during the holidays, start adjusting your bedtime a few days before returning to work-moving it an hour earlier each night and doing the same with your wake-up time. Ease back into your usual routines, like taking walks, hitting the gym, or any other habits you follow during your workdays. Not all at once, of course! But at least reintroduce some of them a few days before returning to work to make the transition much smoother.
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Make your first day back feel like a grand entrance
Going straight from festive holiday preparations to a monotonous routine can kill motivation and decrease energy levels. Instead, extend the holiday spirit and treat yourself with extra care during your first days back. Style your hair, wear that dress you wore on New Year's Eve, put on some makeup and perfume, or stop by your favorite bakery on the way to work. Order takeout in the evening, like on a Friday, or even organize a small office tea party.
Believe me, you're not the only one at work missing the holidays! Share the feeling with a colleague-swap stories about how you celebrated, and who knows? Maybe you'll even decide to recreate some holiday fun next weekend with a spontaneous outing!
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Get moving and increase your physical activity
On your first day back at work, the temptation to use a taxi instead of public transportation is strong. But try doing the opposite-take a walk instead! Get off one stop earlier and stroll the rest of the way. This allows you to explore new cafés and charming little shops along your route, all while waking up naturally-no coffee needed (especially if it's a crisp, frosty morning!). Walking to and from work can be a great alternative if you're not quite ready to jump back into your fitness routine. It's an easy way to ease back into physical activity without overwhelming yourself, whether physically or emotionally.
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Get involved in work gradually
Nobody expects you to perform miracles or close major deals on your first day back. Be kind to yourself, and don't feel guilty about a lack of enthusiasm or energy-you're not alone in this. Take things one step at a time and allow yourself a proper "warm-up."
Start by making a list of your current work tasks, sorting them using the Eisenhower Matrix: "important and urgent," "urgent but not important," "important but not urgent," "neither urgent nor important." Tackle tasks from the first category first, followed by the third. The fourth? Set them aside for later or delegate them. Don't overload yourself with too many tasks in one day-stick to just two or three important ones. Understand that your productivity won't be at its peak right away, and that's perfectly normal. Give yourself a week, and everything will gradually fall back into place.
Important! After a break, we often see old tasks from a fresh perspective and even find solutions to unsolvable problems before the holidays. This happens because the brain continues processing tasks in the background, even when we're resting. So don't be surprised if answers suddenly come to you out of nowhere! And if inspiration doesn't strike, there's always the "How to develop creative thinking: effective ideas generation techniques" course, where you can explore innovative problem-solving strategies alongside international experts.
- Plan your next weekend
Working in December is easier because we have something exciting to look forward to-delicious holiday meals, long, cozy mornings, and a festive atmosphere. But when the New Year celebrations end, it can feel like there's nothing ahead to anticipate. The good news? You can change that! Give yourself something to look forward to next weekend. Buy a ticket to a musical, plan a trip to the skating rink with your loved ones, host a dinner party, or visit a water park or aquarium. The key is to create a reason to feel excited again.
Check out your city's event listings-not just for concerts but also master classes, film premieres, circus performances, or even a long-overdue shopping trip. You could also reconnect with an old friend you haven't seen in years. Anything that sparks joy and gives you a reason to count down the days!
Remember, the end of a holiday break isn't the end of the world-it's a fresh start! Even if you don't feel fully recharged, that time off still gave you something valuable. And soon enough, there will be more holidays and celebrations ahead. After all, Christmas and New Year come around every year-you'll always have something to look forward to!
