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Kira Vermond: Plan now for post-vacation doldrums

By Kira Vermond, a Canadian freelance writer.By Kira Vermond, a Canadian freelance writer.
 
Finally. Summer's here. It's a time for getting off early on Friday afternoons and lunch-hour barbeques with the company.
 
And post-vacation doldrums.
 
Now, maybe it's hard to think about summer vacations coming to an end when they haven't even started yet. But it's not a bad idea to come up with ways to beat those after-holiday-blues now so they don't hit so hard later.
 
And believe it, they do hit us hard. Last year staffing company Randstad released a survey. It showed that 77 per cent of employees find the first day back at work the hardest thing about taking a vacation.
 
Other studies claim that symptoms of post-vacation blues include insomnia, loss of appetite, feelings of despair and even irregular heartbeat.
 
It makes sense. Go away for a holiday and you're leaving the daily grind behind. Plus you're probably with family and friends who love you. Coming back to a less-loving atmosphere where power-struggles rule can be a shock.
 
So, how can we make the transition to real life easier? Here are a few ideas.
 
No 1: Come home from vacation a day early. Sure, you want to take advantage of all your vacation days. But if you' re stumbling into work on Monday morning after rolling off the plane the night before, that first day back is going to be tough.
 
Instead, come back Saturday and spend Sunday doing laundry and relaxing at home. You'll have that post-holiday glow longer.
 
No. 2: Arrive an hour early the first morning. But resist jumping into email right away. You'll get bogged down too quickly. Instead, grab a coffee, sit down, plan your day. Then tackle one easy task on your list. That other work has already waited for a week or two. It can wait another hour.
 
No. 3: Plan something fun that first week back. Maybe it's lunch with a friend or hosting a simple dinner party on Saturday night. By spending time with non-work people, you're living what you probably learned while on vacation: There's more to life than work.
 
Okay, so let's say you're still feeling sluggish or down now that you're back at the desk. Is that an indication it's time to look for new work? Not necessarily.
 
Because let's face it. Even if you enjoy your work there's a very good chance you simply enjoy sipping a pina colada on the beach even more.

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