Dubai: Were you feeling low-spirited when getting back to work on Tuesday morning?
After 30 days of shorter Ramadan working hours and a four-day break, getting back to regular working hours could induce what experts call post-vacation blues.
But there are plenty of ways to overcome these blues, said Dr Saliha Afridi, director of Light House Arabia in Dubai.
“[Many] may feel a lack of energy and resources. They might be feeling disengaged and demotivated. Some might even experience anxiety about the workload and [having to meet] expectations of projects that are imminent.”
What could compound the blues is that you may have to get back to regular work while others around you are taking a post-Eid vacation.
“Returning to routine while everyone else is leaving can be very difficult,” Dr Afridi said.
While it’s normal to feel this way, there are many reasons why people can get into this state of mind, Dr Afridi explained.
“As human beings, we avoid pain and seek pleasure. As life in general has become very stressful, even shorter working hours and a vacation are not enough for some people to de-stress and return to work energised.”
A big aspect of this syndrome is that people don’t plan their return to work after Ramadan, so they return to a long list of meetings and emails they probably have delayed responding to, Dr Afridi added.
There is also the fact that “Ramadan and holidays [this year] happen to end right as we get into the thick of summer”.
Feeling stuck indoors and not getting the exposure to the sun and outdoors can result in a type of Seasonal Affective Disorder, which has a lot of the symptoms of depression, Dr Afridi noted.
For Maria J., a social media marketing controller, getting back to the work routine was not easy.
“It’s hard to settle in on the first day. I was actually thinking about how difficult it would be for me even before I returned to work,” she said.
She’s not the only one, many of her colleagues had similar feelings, she added. “I think it’s normal to feel lazy on the first few days, but people should get used to it eventually.”
Similarly, Adel Mohammad, an accountant, said he has been trying to keep himself motivated at work. “I believe if we start the week feeling miserable about getting back to a full work day, it’s going to last longer.”
But not everyone is hit by post-vacation blues.
“There are people who enjoy their work and find a lot of meaning and purpose in returning to work. Others appreciate the rhythm of a normal routine,” Dr Afridi said.
How to beat the blues
Plan ahead for after the break: Come back to an organised, uncluttered desk. Work diligently and efficiently before you travel instead of getting into vacation mode weeks before travelling.
Get to office early ... on the day of your return. It will help you transition back slowly and smoothly before the hustle and bustle of the work day begins.
Ease into it: Do not schedule critical meetings, if possible, for the first few days. Allow time for your body and mind to adjust to the routine. The more you have time to ease into routine, the quicker your rejuvenation.
Build in fun: While you are transitioning, go to your favourite restaurant, book a massage, make use of the summer deals.
Perception is reality: It is not the hours or the return to work that is the problem, it is how you perceive them. Change your mindset and you change your reality.
Eat and sleep well: This is an all-time best practice and more critical during transition times. A well-rested body is more able to deal with the present.
If nothing works ... and you truly are feeling drained about the idea of going back to work, ask yourself: are you in the right profession or work environment? There could be a message in there to rethink your life’s direction.
