Family holidays are usually great for everyone, and they are often even a wonderful chance for everyone to relax and have fun somewhere new and exciting. It’s easy for most of us to adapt to ‘holiday mode’ which usually entails slightly later nights, different eating habits, and days full of interesting activities, but things can seem much harder when the holiday is over and it’s time to try and return to normality!
Getting home after hours of travel often means everyone is a bit tired and cranky, and if you have to get straight back to work the next day, everything can feel just a bit gloomy after the fun and excitement of time away. Research has been done on this, and apparently it takes three days to get back to normal on average. There are definitely a few things that can make it easier to transition back into every day life, rather than just diving straight in. Here are a few ideas:
Sleep
If the kids are still functioning on holiday bedtimes, ease them back to normal bedtimes bit by bit. Move their bedtime half an hour earlier every day, 15 minutes earlier, or even five minutes earlier, until you are back to normal. Getting the bedtime routine back to normal can be much easier for everyone if you do it in increments, so see what works for you and your kids!
If you are exhausted after your trip, you need to make sure you are getting enough sleep. The chances are, your body and brain need a bit of time to recover from a busy trip, so factor some early nights into your daily routine so you can get all the sleep you need!
Nourish
After a trip away full of fun food and drink, as well as a different movement routine for lots of people, it can be really valuable to stay as nourished as possible. Make sure everyone is drinking enough clear fluids, eating some goodness, and making time to move their bodies. This goes for the adults as well as the kids in the family!
Work smart
Going back to work after time away can feel totally overwhelming, so make sure to do whatever you can to make the transition kinder to yourself. Take little breaks when you can, limit the amount of time you spend sorting your emails at any one time, and remember to switch off at the end of the day!
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