Post-vacation anxiety

How can it be possible… the words “anxiety” and “vacation” present in the same sentence?

Post-vacation anxiety is the name given to the anxiety people feel when the time comes to return to work, after a nice and relaxing period of vacations... more commonly, its known as vacation blues. The thought of restarting the daily routine of “getting up, getting ready, commuting, going through the workday, and commuting back” is enough to cause in those people pronounced symptoms of anxiety. It's natural, but it happens mostly when people aren’t satisfied with the work they do. Note that this is not considered an anxiety disorder, but it is still a problem for those who feel it.

How can this anxious state be fought (not countered, like with substances, but actually worked on to get better)? First of all, the improvement of work and workplace conditions is fundamental.

Interpersonal relationships are usually an essential factor in this problem, since the links we establish with those whom we work side-by-side daily are some of those that generate the strongest and/or most frequent emotions. Working conditions, such as lighting, equipment and safety, are also very relevant. A stimulating setting is also nice to return to: one or two plants, wall decorations, and the likes, if possible (more often than not it isn't, like in industrial settings).

In second place, the task itself. If a person is not satisfied with her work, she should seriously consider if that is where she should be. Often, people don't have a choice (bills have to be paid)... but if you build a paralel career, step by step, perhaps one day there will be the possibility to change career, leaving the job you dislike.

In third place, comes the ability to develop or adopt coping strategies to cope with the stress generated by professional demands (and domestic demands that arise from the professional ones). This is different for each person... hobbies and other distractors are a must, when you have a stressful job or life.

So, the main elements in countering post-vacation anxiety would be:

- Improvement of workplace conditions
- Interpersonal relationships
- Stimulating work environment
- The assigned task
- Coping strategies against professional stress
- Coping strategies against domestic stress