Post-Vacation Blues are a perfect reason to start a fourteen day detox before the July 4th celebration.
If you are returning back from vacation, you may experience the following:
- The Dopamine Crash: Vacations provide a spike of dopamine. Returning to your routine leads to a temporary feeling of lethargy, sadness, or lack of motivation.
- The Contrast Effect: Comparing your vacation experience to the mundane tasks of your regular life may make your normal schedule feel significantly duller and more restrictive.
The Logistical Overload
- The Chore of Rain Making: Sorting through mail, and realizing the work pipeline is completely empty may create a sense of urgency the second you arrive at the office.
- Decision Fatigue: On vacation, decisions are often fun and spontaneous. At home, you are immediately hit with decisions that drain your mental energy or your pocket book in a non-vacation way.
The Physical Shift
- Sleep Disruption: Forcing your body back into a rigid alarm-clock schedule causes a mild form of physical jet lag.
- Dietary and Movement Reset: Transitioning away from vacation can leave your body feeling sluggish for a few days as it recalibrates to your normal activities.
The Schedule Friction
- Loss of Autonomy: Returning to a schedule means surrendering large blocks of your day to work, commuting, and obligations, which can add to your workday stress.
- Backlog Anxiety: The looming knowledge of unread emails, household maintenance, and paused projects may cause a mild depression. Acknowledge how you feel and review your schedule to keep your emotions balanced.
Note: If you are detoxing for July 4th, keep your calories under 1200. The detox I’m following uses, coffee, salads, rice and vanilla ice cream. The ice cream is for summer detoxes. If you are not able to eat just a cup, you can use rice pudding at the dessert.