Post holiday blues is something that many of us experience. It’s pretty normal and you’re not alone if you’re feeling it.
The great news is that with a mind shift and some positive action post holiday blues can be a thing of the past. Read on for top tips on how to beat the post holiday blues and feel on top of the world. It’s time to get excited about the beginning of a new school term and to spread positivity wide with your friends and colleagues.
At the end of every journey is a new one.
Why Do We Feel Post Holiday Blues?
Do you live for the holidays?
Psychologists tell us that post holiday blues are a thing because we have a tendency to put too much emphasis on holiday time. Many of us live for the holidays and feel that holidays are the only thing we have to look forward to.
It’s pretty easy to get caught up in the habit of counting the days until the next holiday rather than living for the day and making everyday count.
Counting down to the next school holiday often results in a huge build-up of expectation and anticipation. Sadly and realistically, sometimes these high expectations are not met. Sometimes your holiday is so ridiculously good that it feels like the end of the world when it’s over.
The trick is to change your mindset about the end of holidays and to live for every day.
How to Beat the Post Holiday Blues with Self-Talk
Experts estimate that the mind thinks between 60,000 – 80,000 thoughts a day! That’s an average of 2500 – 3,300 thoughts per hour! So you may as well choose positive ones and flood your brains with helpful thoughts.
Take control by changing your thought habits and your self-talk about school holidays and the school term. Self-talk is basically your inner voice, the relentless voice in your mind that says the things that you don’t necessarily say out loud. Positive self-talk makes you feel good about yourself and the things that are going on in your life.
As contrived as it might sound, next time you catch the voice in your head saying…
“Urgh, doom. The holidays are over and so is my personal life”.
Press pause… rewind and say to yourself:
“Whoo hoo what a brilliant holiday I have had! I am refreshed and inspired to make more time for my personal life during the new, exciting term ahead!”
Trick Your Brain
A great (and somewhat sneaky) way to beat the post holiday blues is to trick your brain into thinking that there’s a little bit of you on holiday every day. All you need to do is think of something that you associate with holiday time and make time for during the school term.
What you associate with holidays is a personal thing. Here are a few ideas to get you thinking:
- Read a book chosen purely for pleasure.
- Listen to music that ignites holiday memories.
- Create a photo album of your holiday snaps.
- Get outside and surround yourself with nature.
Mocktail Monday
Beat post holiday blues by having fun every day, not just during the holidays. Mondays are renown for being less than inspiring, so perhaps it’s time to change that by throwing a Mocktail Monday party.
Mocktail Monday is the new thing. Well, it is now anyway!
Lift everyone’s spirits and beat the post holiday blues by throwing a Mocktail Monday party at your place on a Monday afternoon. Which friends are you going to invite?
Get the recipes for Pineapple Mojito at Watch What U Eat and Strawberry-Lemon Punch at Women’s Day Magazine.
Make Your Days and Weeks Inspiring
Making plans for the days and weeks during your school term is an effective way to beat the post holiday blues. Why not sit down with your nearest and dearest teacher colleagues and make some plans together. Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Go for a 15 minute walk during lunchtime when you are off duty (is that ever??)
- Meet a friend for a coffee before work.
- Have dinner with a friend.
- Plan Taco Tuesday with a friend.
- Make plans for Friday night.
Dump an Old Habit
Beat post holiday blues by seeing the start of a new term as an opportunity to dump an old habit. Choose a habit that is not serving you well and commit to replacing it with a new and better one!
Here are a few ideas that spring to mind:
- Take positive action toward your personal goals every day.
- Keep a tidy desk.
- Leave school earlier in the afternoon.
- Drink more water.
- Exercise 3 times a week.
- Eat more vegetables.
- Spend more time with your family.
If you are the ‘pro’ in procrastination and are looking for ways to stop delaying, avoiding and or postponing tasks, read our blog Procrastination | How to Overcome It with Action.
Sing It Out Loud
Sing it out loud that – post holiday blues are the thing of the past. Raise the spirits of your teacher tribe and be a positive role model for others. Post holiday blues are real. But, when there’s no time to feel blue, it’s time to tap into your inner hero and take charge!
Share this blog with your colleagues to show that you care.
For more supportive information on how to look after your health and wellbeing during term time read Emma’s blog World Mental Health Day | 5 Tips for Teacher Wellbeing.
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