Finding Motivation After A Mental Vacation

It has been more than a week since you returned from your vacation, and you must admit that finding motivation to get back to work is just tricky. You’ve been able to relax and recharge, but you’re not ready yet to get back to the reality of the day-to-day grind.

Some say that it may be a case of post-travel depression. It is when you need to get yourself back to reality, but your mind refuses to. While you may have done a bit of work while on vacation, you spent most of your days having fun and relaxing. 

And while it was nice to have gone on vacation, it only made coming back to work more daunting. 

You love your job, and there is no doubt about that. However, losing that motivation to get back on your feet and get yourself working is not just inconvenient; it is an issue that needs to be dealt with seriously.  

How does losing your motivation harm you? You lose the potential to earn money, but you also lose the chance to improve yourself. 

Your motivation to get back to working won’t come back on its own. You need to do something about it. Shake those post-travel blues away and get yourself motivated again.

Here are essential steps to make it happen:

Give yourself an extra two days 

You just got back from vacation. You need to give yourself a day or two to put yourself back together. The holiday may have been fantastic and calming. In fact, it was so good you wish you could have stayed longer. However, coming home two days early will help you switch your mindset from vacation back to work. Take the extra two days to figure out your life.

First, deal with the essentials you left behind. Sort out those bills, do the laundry, finish unpacking, grocery shop, clean out the fridge, and do anything else that needs to be done.

Taking those extra days will help you attend to your personal tasks before you jump into work again. 

Remember, vacation depression won’t last forever. Forgive yourself if you need a bit more time. After all, time is all it takes to settle down and get back that motivation you need for work. 

Think about what you missed

Coming back after a long vacation gives you the feeling that there is more to life than work. Everyone who has left for vacation has the same feeling. But you have to shake that feeling out of your system. While yes, there is more to life than work, it is still essential to life.

Come back to reality by thinking about what you missed while you were gone. Did you miss your dog? Or perhaps you thought about your morning runs with your friend. All these could get you excited to be back home. Perhaps it could help motivate you to go back to work. 

Make a list of all the people, things, and activities that you missed. Make sure to include even the smallest details of your life, like driving your own car or hugging your cat. All these will help you ease in back to work. 

Set a date for the week you get back

You surely missed your friends. The anxiety about going back to work after vacation masks that. Perhaps it would help you ease back to your regular work schedule if you spend some time catching up with your friends. 

Set a date so you can catch up with them. At least, you have one more reason to look forward to coming back. Whether it’s meeting with a favorite client or having coffee with a friend, this little step can make a huge difference. 

You could also set an appointment at your favorite salon. This could help you get ready for work too.

Try to look forward to being productive

Although it may seem now that all your motivation is lost and will be gone forever, it will come back. Trust yourself. You’ll be back at it again in no time.

Everyone has their off days, so don’t be too hard on yourself. The pile of work waiting for you can be discouraging, but don’t worry. You will get your groove back. Soon, you will be as productive as you used to. 

Trying to force yourself to get motivated at this time could only make you less productive. Take a walk or run an errand. These may be simple, but it could help you get back into your daily, pre-vacation routines. 

Talk about how you feel

If it helps, talk to your spouse or friends about how you feel. Telling them that you are not really in the mood to go back to work will help lighten the emotional load. You can write about it too. Sometimes, the simple gesture of expressing how you feel, whether spoken or in writing, could comfort you. You will get over this unproductive stage in your life. 

If writing is not an option for you, then go ahead and talk to someone you trust. Explaining how you feel and why you feel unmotivated can help you break into the real reasons you feel that way. In fact, it can help you gain more clarity. 

No matter what you decide to do, remind yourself that you are not alone with this problem. Many people before you have faced this issue and came through the other side.

Taking your vacation was amazing and great for your mental and physical health. It was life-changing because it allowed you to think about where you are at this point in your life.

Never regret going on vacation. No matter how unmotivated you are at the moment, you will get over it. That feeling will pass. 

After all, your mind needed a vacation too. Right now, just ease back into the flow of things, and everything will be okay.