Holding on to that holiday feeling

Everyone knows someone who wanders around the office after their annual summer break with a black cloud hanging over their head. After weeks away from the stress of work, the day-to-day routine of life can seem almost unbearable for some people.

However it doesnít have to be all gloom and doom, there are ways to deal with the post-holiday blues, according to Dr Wolfgang Seidl of HR and Employee Assistance Programme specialists Validium.

He said: ìMost of us return from our holidays feeling very relaxed and happy, partly because we have escaped from the pressures of everyday life but also because we have spent more time with our family and friends. What we particularly enjoy about holidays is the fact that we are the ëmasterí over our time, we decide what we want to do or donít want to do as the case may beÖÖ.

ìArriving back at work, particularly if you do not have a lot of control over the demands that are made on you in the workplace, can be a real shock to the system.
However there are easy ways to hold onto the feel good factor and stop yourself falling into a post-holiday slump which can drag the whole office down.î

One of the keys to remaining positive is to make sure you exercise regularly, according to Wolfgang. He said: ìPeople tend to exercise more on holiday whether it is swimming or walking along the beach or going shopping for souvenirs.

ìExercise releases endorphins which make people feel more positive and regular exercise can be as good for lifting moods as anti-depressants. However it isnít always easy to incorporate it into your daily life so it can be a good idea to book a class once a week which forces you to leave the office on time.

ìEmployers could also look at introducing an aerobic or yoga class into the workplace.î

He also recommends taking little steps at a time. He said: ìThere is no point saying you will run the marathon if you have never run before ñ it is better to say you will go for a short jog twice a week as you might actually do that.î

Maintaining a work life balance is also very important. Wolfgang recommends making every lunch an ëoasisí in the day ñ going out and getting your hair cut, taking a walk in the park or catching up with friends by mobile phone and eating a light, healthy lunch.

Another good way of doing this is to spend more time with your family and friends and making sure there is a really clear line drawn between work and play. ìIt is a great idea to something pleasurable on a Friday night to mark the end of the working week, e.g have a candlelit dinner. If you leave it to the Saturday, you donít get the full benefit of your time off,î said Wolfgang.

One of the other benefits of holidays is that they focus your mind on what you want to do with your life. A really useful trick is to write a list of 21 things you want to experience before you die. ìDonít worry about the practicalities ñ take a birdís eye view. It can be amazing what comes out of it.î

Research has also shown that being close to wildlife is another great way to keep stress at bay. ìYou donít necessarily have to go for a drive in the country or to the zoo, watching nature programmes on television reduces blood pressure according to and hence relaxes youî, said Wolfgang.