This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Daniel Glazer. The following has been edited for length and clarity.
You go on a great holiday — a hiking vacation with your partner or a cruise with the family. It's a wonderful time, but when you get back to the hustle of your normal day-to-day, you might find yourself feeling down. It's something I've seen time and again with my patients as a psychologist: spikes in anxiety and moodiness after time away.
We go on vacation to escape from the demands of reality. But when you come home and realize you've got to step back into that life you wanted to get away from, there's tension.
Sometimes, there's a deeper reason for feeling down. At the beginning of vacation, we're full of excitement and anticipation. But by the end, it can feel like the good times gone by in the blink of an eye. Something precious, starting and ending, can bring up feelings about our own mortality and the fleeting nature of life.
All of this is no reason to skip your next vacation, however. Here are six ways to fight the post-vacation blues and make sure your time away ends on a positive note.
Keep track of your memories
Vacations are about unplugging, but they're also about creating new, positive memories. Whether it's simple moments, big thrills, or life-changing experiences, travel is full of memories. Keeping track of those is a great way to reflect on your vacation and realize just how much you got from your time away.
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There are a few ways to go about this. You can try scrapbooking — which has the added benefit of being a great way to unplug after you return home. Or, you can opt for the modern version by posting on social media — just make sure you're doing it for yourself, not for the dopamine hit of all those likes.
Journaling or writing a letter about your experience can also help you foster gratitude for everything you experienced during your time off.
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Learn a new skill and bring it home with you
Lifelong learners who have a keen sense of curiosity are more confident, resilient, and able to cope with stress. You can foster these benefits by trying something new on vacation and then bringing that experience home with you.
Maybe you continue to cook a favorite dish you ate in Europe or sneak in phrases of a language you picked up before you departed. These actions keep your sense of adventure alive and give you a level of playfulness even when you're back to work.
Spend time with friends and family
Vacations can be times of intense bonding, whether you're traveling with your family members or bonding with strangers on a group tour. Human interaction releases lots of feel-good neurotransmitters. But when we get home and no longer have an intense connection, we can feel lonely.
To avoid that, arrange to spend time with friends and family when you get back from your holiday. You can catch up with them and tell them about your travels, which has the dual benefit of encouraging gratitude while also creating connections with others.
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Follow healthy habits
On vacation, you might tend to eat lots of treats, drink a bit too much, and stay up late. When you return home, getting back into your routine can be difficult, especially if you're battling jet lag.
Switch your co*cktails for mocktails, start following a good sleep hygiene routine, and make sure you're getting plenty of exercise. Spending time in nature can help reset your circadian rhythms when they've been thrown off by jet lag, and it will also help boost your mood.
Expect some anxiety
We often think of anxiety as a problem that needs to be fixed as soon as possible. But really, anxiety is a normal part of being human. It's ok to expect some mood changes when you get back from vacation.
Know when you need to make bigger changes
If your symptoms start interfering with your day-to-day schedule, or you really dread returning to your job and other obligations, take some time to examine why — a qualified therapist can help with this. If you're very uncomfortable, it can be a sign that some things in your life—like your job, hobbies, or the amount of time you have to yourself — need to change.
