Extend Your Vacation Glow Post-Vacation

Travel is known to help reduce stress, recharge the exhausted, and expand your mind. However, no one talks about post-vacation blues, also known as post-vacation depression, which will make you low-key wish you never went on vacation at times.

I remember my first trip to the Greek islands of Santorini and Mykonos. There were so many moments of pure joy and feelings of freedom that I’d never experienced before in my life. Though I loved every minute of my vacation, I had no desire to permanently live in Greece. Sadly, that didn’t prevent me from experiencing one of the worst cases of post-vacation blues.

What are the symptoms?

• Increased irritability or desires to be alone
• Feeling depressed after a vacation
• Guilt or regret for spending the money once you’ve returned
• Lack of energy that doesn’t feel like jet lag
• Decrease interest in things you typically enjoy

Post-vacation blues can begin before you leave your vacation usually starting the last few days of your trip. It’s not a feeling you want to experience, but there are things you can do to avoid a nasty case of the post-vacation blues.

7 Ways to Conquer Post-Vacation Blues

1. Clean your home before even going on vacation. There’s nothing worse than coming back to a dirty house after you’ve been in paradise with maid service.
2. Get major projects at work done before you leave. The anxiety of knowing you have something major waiting for you at work will ruin your vacation glow before you even get to the airport.
3. Don’t tell people the exact day you’re coming back to give yourself an extra day or two to extend the vacation glow without being bombarded with people wanting something from you. Also, consider giving yourself a buffer day before going back to work.
4. Focus on the positives in your daily life.
5. It’s ok to relive your trip through pictures, but find a healthy balance between remembering and obsessing.
6. While on vacation take a cooking class or some other cultural experience like learning how to make mojitos in Cuba. That way you can relive those experiences back at home and keep the vacation glow going.
7. Start planning your next vacation! Having another vacation to look forward to is a great motivator and will increase your chances of avoiding vacation depression.