On the Return-to-Work Blues

Are you really any more refreshed?

“Slams laptop shut until next year.” If you have social media of any flavor, I’m sure your feed was inundated with these memes as 2023 drew to a close. And while I find most mildly infuriating, I can appreciate the sentiment. 

Success! You have completed another year in Corporate America. Your reward? An always-busier-than-expected holiday break trying to dodge the sick, save you’re forced to spend your off days with the flu. If you’re lucky. Many receive little to no time off for the holidays and New Year. A downside to actually being an essential worker. I’m sure all government workers were home for the holidays. But I digress. And possibly tilted my political hand too much. 

Even after a best-case scenario, most are loath to return to work. Also, I can’t decide if it’s better or worse while working from home. Sure, my morning commute only takes two minutes from bed to coffee to desk or couch, but it’s the same routine as the day before. And the day before that. The lines between work and home are now inextricably blurred, making it even harder to switch my brain into work-mode upon returning.

Now, back to the titular question - Are you really any more refreshed after a holiday or vacation? Or is the only refresh a renewed distaste for pre-vacation life? While I do come back feeling better, it’s not that I have a renewed vigor for my work, no matter how many times I proclaim the contrary to my boss. For if: 

Upon the sand and sea I've spent my week,
Amidst city lights or mountain air breeze.
With whiskey in hand, my rest complete, please,
Not a call on Teams, further peace I seek.

So, how do you beat the back-to-work blues? Besides receiving a call saying you won the lottery or a long-lost great aunt bequeathed her estate, I can offer a few tips. 

1. Bring a little vacation with you on the first days back. You have returned from the tropics to snow and sub-zero temps, but you can still have Sex on the Beach. 
2. Contrary to what most say, I prefer to knock out all the awaiting emails right away. Rip off the proverbial Band-Aid. (A quick “Mark all as read” will do the trick)
3. Have something to look forward to at the end of the day. For me and V, we continue our holiday movie marathons — Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter — Unwinding with a bit of magic sets the mind at ease.

If all else fails, plan your next vacation as soon as possible.