It was the last day of my vacation. I was scheduled to fly back the next morning. I got up, took a shower, made coffee in the kitchenette of my apartment, had breakfast, and then went to the pool with my five-year-old niece. We took turns going for a swim and stretching out in a lounge chair to read a good book.

Sounds great, doesn’t it?

And yet, my mind wasn’t entirely there. With everything I did, I thought: aaah, this is the last time. And when I got back home to the Netherlands, I realized how hard it was for me to adjust to the fact that the vacation was really over. I was tired, had trouble concentrating, and missed that vacation feeling.

Recognizable?

You’re in good company. And this phenomenon has a name: the post-vacation blues. A lot of people know that feeling when vacation is coming to an end and the daily routine starts up again. Even people who enjoy their work. Even people who have nothing to complain about when it comes to their daily lives.

And that feeling isn’t always about work. For some, it’s the sound of their inbox opening. For others, it’s the laundry, the grocery shopping, the paperwork, and the school routine that starts again on Monday. Or simply everything that’s expected of you: being on time, being ready, and just keeping going. In this article, you’ll learn where that feeling comes from and what you can do to make those first few weeks a little easier.

Why This Transition Feels So Difficult

At the start of your vacation, you probably needed a few days to really get into vacation mode. Many people don’t realize until the second week that their minds are starting to calm down again—that you wake up in the morning without immediately thinking about all the things you still have to do, and that you can finish reading a book without reaching for your phone.

That shift took time. And now you have to do it again, only in the other direction.

During those weeks, more than just your schedule changes. Your routine shifts: you get up later, you eat at different times, you’re more active, and you spend more time outdoors. You don’t have to be anywhere on time.

And there’s something else. You had more time. Breakfast without watching the clock. An afternoon that could go in any direction. Evenings when no one had to go to a club or a class. You had time for yourself, your kids, your partner, or your friends. Real time.

And that’s exactly why the contrast can feel so stark when you return home.

The alarm clock is going off early again. Your schedule is packed, or the house is overflowing with everything that’s been left undone over the past few weeks. The gym is back in session, meetings are starting up again, and everyone wants something from you.

It’s perfectly normal that this takes some getting used to. It says little about how much you enjoy your work or your life, and a lot about just how different those two rhythms are. What you miss isn’t usually the sun or the hotel. It’s the space you had, and the people with whom you shared it.

The post-vacation blues can manifest in various ways: feeling down, grumpy, tired, having trouble focusing, and not really feeling like getting back to work. It’s a feeling that many people recognize when they have to get back to work after a vacation. So we’re definitely not the only ones who struggle with this!

What Your Feelings Are Trying to Tell You

For most people, that reluctance is temporary. It just takes a little while to readjust to the rhythm of everyday life. But sometimes there’s more to it than that. You gain some perspective, allowing you to look at your life with a bit more distance. And then you might suddenly notice things you’d normally overlook.

Maybe you’ll suddenly think: I don’t really want to go back to all that hustle and bustle. Or you’ll realize how much energy it normally takes to keep going. Maybe you’ll notice how long it took for the tension to leave your shoulders. Or how nice it is to not be constantly thinking about everything that still needs to be done.

And just as your vacation is coming to an end, those thoughts can suddenly become even more palpable. Because maybe you’re not just missing your vacation, but also something you actually had there: more peace and quiet, more time for each other, fewer obligations, or a little more space for yourself. It might be worth taking a moment to reflect on that before the hustle and bustle takes over again.

Here’s how to gently get back into your rhythm

Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to make that transition a little easier.

Give yourself a peaceful start

If you have any say in the matter, try not to schedule your first day back at work completely full right away. It’s better to put off important meetings or deadlines for a while and give yourself time to get your bearings, catch up, and figure out what needs your attention first.

Is your schedule already full? If so, see if you can at least set aside the first hour for yourself. That way, you’ll give yourself a moment to get your bearings again.

Don’t start with your email inbox

Starting your first day back at work with three hundred unread emails? That usually doesn’t make the transition any easier. You end up tackling everything you’ve missed and everything others expect from you. Try doing it the other way around. First, take a moment to figure out what’s really important this week. Only then should you check your inbox and work through it in chunks. Delete what’s no longer relevant, forward what belongs to someone else, and add to your list what you still need to do yourself.

Go outside

When you’re on vacation, you naturally spend more time outdoors. You walk through a city, lie on the beach, sit on a patio, or go for a walk after dinner. As soon as you’re back at work, you spend a lot less time outdoors.

So try to get outside regularly even after your vacation. Take a walk during your lunch break, hop on your bike, or go for a stroll after dinner.

Daylight helps regulate your biological clock and, consequently, your sleep-wake cycle. And spending time outdoors—especially in a green environment—has been linked in research to reduced stress and improved mental well-being.

Save a little space

Think back to what you enjoyed most about your vacation. Maybe you enjoyed being outdoors and starting the day peacefully with that morning walk. Or reading before bed, because you finally took the time again to really lose yourself in a book.

Then see if you can hold onto some of that space once you’re back home. A Sunday morning that you consciously leave free. An evening when you don’t make any plans. Or a walk that you take your time with. It doesn’t have to be exactly the same as it was on vacation. The main thing is that you discover what you needed and make room for it more often at home, too.

Plan something to look forward to

Go ahead and plan a weekend getaway, a few days away, or another short trip. Research shows that even just the prospect of a vacation is linked to a greater sense of happiness. Having something fun to look forward to can make those first few weeks at home just a little more enjoyable!

What are you bringing?

The first few days after your vacation are one of those times when you can take a step back and look at your life with a bit more perspective. Take advantage of that before you’re back in your daily routine.

Think back on the past few weeks. What gave you energy? What didn’t you miss at all? What did you have more time for? And perhaps the most important question of all: what would you like to make more room for?

Try writing it down. It doesn’t have to be a detailed plan. You might come to the conclusion that you want to get outside more often, plan a less packed week, or make more time for the people around you. Even small changes can make a difference!