How to make the transition between vacation and work a little easier?

Returning to work after a long break or vacation can be fraught with anxiety and aggravation. It’s like the Sunday night blues on steroids. If you notice you are excessively worrying, having difficulty sleeping, or feeling more insecure than usual, then you may be suffering from the side effects of this intolerable transition.

To combat these harrowing symptoms, you need to hit the pause button and practice enjoying the moment. Staying present will help you tune out that distressing internal nagging, and set you on the path to gracefully ease back into your daily routine.

Our first recommendation is to figure out whether you are anxious about returning to work, or just sad about leaving the comforts of home. If you are uncomfortable about going back to work, hone in on it. Perhaps you need to reevaluate your professional prospects or on the most fundamental level, introduce some new coping mechanisms to make your day more tolerable. If you hate your boss make a plan to touch base with her each morning, then avoid her like the plague until EOD – or only communicate via email. 

Next, we cannot understate the importance of self-care. We are talking activities that are wholly intended to elicit pleasure. Trust us, this will look different for each person. Indulging in self-care with residual benefits can extend the results of this action. As a total beauty buff, we turn to the ritual of a trusted skincare routine. The process elicits an initial calming effect, followed by a reminder each time we look in the mirror. As a bonus, when we see refined, healthy skin it bolsters our self-confidence. Our favorite new product is Peter Thomas Roth Irish Moor Mud Purifying Black Mask. It looks and feels like mud (don't worry, it's odorless!), and it draws out dirt, oil and other skin impurities. Introducing a new routine will force you to take time out of your day and attend to your own needs, plus it reminds you that you are worthy of the TLC.

Lastly, during the day, we suggest taking time out for yourself. Go for a quickie (er, we’re talking an escape from your desk), for as short as five minutes per hour to help you stay centered and grounded. A departure from the minutia – like going to the bathroom or letting yourself just gaze off in a daydream –will let you hit the reset button and increase your productivity and attention to detail.

Keep in mind, the first law the motion: "Every object in a state of uniform motion tends to remain in that state of motion unless an external forces applied to it." Applying this theory to your own happiness means that if you're feeling unhappy you’ll stay that way until you decide to become an active force in your quest for internal satisfaction.