There are people for whom going back to work is not much of a problem because they are in a job that they like, with a good environment, acceptable levels of stress and decent conditions. However, there are many jobs that do not offer us these well-being factors , either because there are no good working relationships, because it is too demanding, or sometimes because it is not the job that we like the most (and no, you are not an ungrateful person because you don’t like your job).

In those cases in which the return to work after the holidays is a real torture. On the other hand, on vacation we usually do things that we like, we can spend more time with family and friends and dedicate more time to ourselves, so sometimes it is not enough that we have a desired job. But nothing happens, at first it will cost a bit, but we want to help you better cope with the return to the routine, what is called post-holiday syndrome or post-holiday depression (which is not, in reality, a disorder that we have or a real depression , is that disenchantment to say goodbye to the pleasure of the holidays and return to the obligations, routines, stress, possible conflicts with colleagues or superiors, etc.).

We hope that these tips will be useful to face, as much as possible, the return to work.

1. Go little by little, don’t binge on work!

Your job has not moved for days and / or weeks and the company has not fallen. Nothing happens, there are tasks that are more urgent and others that are less, so it is very useful that you make an orderly classification of them according to the rush there is. Even if you have left many things pending, you do not have to solve them now, and you cannot always perform 100% , so allow yourself that little adaptation when you return to work from vacation.

2. Rearrange your schedule to make time for yourself

Many times, the problem we have with our work is that it occupies us a lot of time, and when we get home or we have pending tasks, or we have many others to solve at home. But, again, there are things that can wait so find, as far as possible, a space for yourself every day. A time when you don’t do anything, or read, or watch television, or any activity that relaxes you. But a time marked in advance, not the “I’ll take advantage of it before going to bed if I have time . ” This interval of time will help you regain strength to face the rest of the tasks with more energy, and that you can do more in less time. If not, you are going to crawl around the house moving from one place to another, but doing nothing.

3. Do some nice activity before or after work

This is apart from your chilling time . It is the opportunity to associate work with a pleasant stimulus. Five minutes of chatting with a colleague at the door, a mid-morning coffee, a walk after work, stopping to window-shop before heading home, whatever.

4. Change the decoration of your environment (whatever you can)

If you have the opportunity to change any element of your work environment, it is a good opportunity to do so. Maybe some ornament that you have on the table, on the wall of your office, change the place of the post-its block or a plant. If you don’t have the possibility (because we don’t all work in the same scenarios), then you can do it at home! It is a way to welcome autumn , to a new stage, as long as you like to decorate , of course. But sometimes changing the elements of our environment help us feel better, it is like when we make a change of look.

5. Change the route of going to work

Again, not everyone has the ability to do this, but whenever possible, see what small changes you can make. It is simply so that your return to work is not to resume a routine that seemed unpleasant to you. If your route is one of the factors that you like the most about going to work (saying hello to the kiosk, stopping by to buy a bun at that bakery or walking past that store that smells so good) then no problem. If not, park your car in another area, change the streets you walk through, or try a new establishment . Maybe you will discover new corners that you like.

6. Ask yourself what are the sources of stress in your job, can we act on any?

You have to think about what seems the most unpleasant about going back to work: is it the lack of rest time? Is it that I have bad relationships with someone? Is the physical environment uncomfortable? Are the tasks routine? Is it that you have too much pressure with the delivery dates? Is it that the salary is too low for the effort you make?Is it that the job is good but it is not what you want to dedicate yourself to? Do you have no contact with other people? When you have the answers, you will be able to see if there is any element that you can change, if there is the possibility of changing jobs and how to do it, if in fact labor rights are not being fulfilled and you should consult with a representative body of the workers. Stress and poor working conditions are one of the elements that do us the most physical and psychological damage, so you should not put up with it simply because you have to earn your living.

7. What if the partners do something together to strengthen relationships? (if possible)

If in your work environment there is a good relationship between colleagues and colleagues, or even with superiors, it is interesting to reinforce them. Because then work will be an environment where we feel better and have the opportunity to be a source of support for others, and vice versa. How about taking some pastries or cakes to sweeten your morning coffee , or make a plan together, such as a simple meal among those who get along better? In each case you will know what is the most appropriate, but that way you better carry the workload together.