How to stop ‘post-vacation blues’ from ruining your return to regular life

Even if you’ve come to anticipate the post-vacation blues, the shift back to reality after taking time off can still hit harder than expected. And while that emotional hangover isn’t a clinical diagnosis, feeling depressed after a rejuvenating weekend or thrilling getaway is often about more than just missing sunny skies or hotel breakfasts.

“Vacation for most of us is kind of a high,” says Monica Johnson, PsyD, owner of Kind Mind Psychology in New York City. “It’s a new, novel experience that can be jarring when you then come home to the mundane.” Suddenly, every ordinary task (clocking into work, sitting in traffic, reheating bland leftovers) feels painfully dull, and you’re not just nostalgic: You’re hit with emptiness and dissatisfaction that leave you wondering, “What now?” It also doesn’t help that most of us don’t get nearly enough days or weeks off from work and/or childcare, making it easy to pin all your hopes for joy, rest and unstructured fun onto a single holiday.

The good news is that the post-vacation blues should pass within a few days or a week as you settle into your regular rhythm, according to Dr. Johnson. Still, that doesn’t make reentering your responsibility-filled routine any less disorienting. Here’s how experts say you can ease that slump and potentially avoid it altogether.

1. Prep your space for a smooth, welcoming reentry

Nothing snaps you out of a vacation high faster than returning to a mess. “A lot of people will come back and see a pile of dishes or laundry on the floor,” says Michael Ceely, LMFT, licensed psychotherapist and owner of Ceely Counseling in San Francisco—which is why it’s worth taking extra time to make your space tidy and cosy before heading out.

That may include changing your sheets, taking out the trash, running the dishwasher, scrubbing your tub or emptying your fridge of perishables that might expire. Instead of being greeted with crumbs, clutter and filth, you’re welcomed into a put-together haven (which Ceely says should help soften the transition from being OOO).

2. Give yourself a buffer day or two

After days of carefree fun and relaxation, it’s hard for anyone to quickly readjust, so Ceely suggests leaving time to ease back in when possible. Going forward, it might help to intentionally plan your return for, say, a Saturday night or Sunday morning instead of getting home with barely enough time to prep for the Monday madness. And if you can, keep that day as wide open as possible—not for errands, appointments, or social outings but just to unpack and decompress.