Perhaps this sounds familiar: You had a wonderful holiday, but as soon as you get back home, things go haywire again - stressful everyday life catches up with you. This transition from a relaxing holiday back into a hectic daily routine can be quite overwhelming for some. In this article, we look at why routines and rituals are so important in everyday life and how you can manage to adopt new routines, even if only small ones.
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Holiday vs. reality - what happens in our bodies?
For most of us, the holiday season is THE highlight of the year. Planning, anticipation - pure relaxation. Instead, worries, fears and obligations are often thrown overboard during this time. You finally have the opportunity to switch off and enjoy the moments of doing nothing with friends or family. During this time, the nervous system shuts down, pent-up stress is released and the body and mind also come to rest.
But as nice as it all sounds, many people have a big problem getting back into the daily routine after returning from their summer holiday. It feels like jumping in at the deep end, often with overwhelming and challenging moments. The body has become accustomed to a completely new way of life during the break. No getting up early, no hectic rush, no "I have to be back in a meeting at 5 pm" - no routines. But these routines are what make up everyday life. They are important for us, because without them there would be no structure and order and we would live our everyday lives haphazardly.
But the exciting thing is what actually happens in our body during this changeover. On holiday, when your body is in a state of relaxation, the entire organism shuts down. Stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline are reduced. At the same time, the part of the nervous system responsible for recovery, rest and relaxation is activated. You may have already noticed how your blood pressure drops, your muscles relax and your metabolism generally improves. But this state ends abruptly when you return to your everyday life. As soon as you are exposed to stressful appointments and sensory overload again, your body automatically switches into "fight or flight mode". You are literally dragged out of your quiet zone. Stress hormones rise and this can lead to sleep problems and inner restlessness. You constantly have the feeling that you haven't really arrived in the here and now.
Why is that?
Routines are almost completely neglected on holiday. This means that there are no fixed sleeping and eating times, different eating habits, there is a different climate and you may move less. This makes it all the more important to slowly adjust to the new situation at home. Coming back the day before your first day at work is therefore not such a good idea - neither for your body nor for your mental state. Instead, take your time and come home relaxed. This will give you enough leeway to give yourself the time you need. It's important that you gradually re-establish routines so that you don't become overwhelmed by the overall situation. Everyone has their own feelings and individual approaches, so listen to the signals your body is sending you. We have put together some tips for you on how you can find your everyday routines again and, with a little confidence and self-care, you will soon be fit for everyday life again.
How to find your routines again
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Work your way forward in small steps
It is important to start with small tasks in order to regain a sense of your actual rhythm. You can consciously plan and organise your day, but don't overwhelm yourself right away. Setting clear priorities can be helpful - the rest can wait. Routines such as fixed meal times, short walks or consciously switching off in the evening also help to bring structure back into the day. You can take the holiday relaxation with you for a while, you don't have to function at 100% straight away. Small steps will take you further in the long term, often further than a hectic and overwhelming restart.
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Set yourself daily goals
The motto here is: small stages and steps are the key. Instead of being overwhelmed by a long to-do list, focus on a few, achievable tasks per day and set yourself clear daily goals. It's best to start with 3 things that you can realistically put into practice. This will keep you motivated and give you the feeling that you have achieved something. Daily goals also have the advantage that you can stay focussed and give your day an important structure. The best thing about this is the small sense of achievement that you can celebrate.
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Treat yourself to rest breaks
Rest breaks are important to re-calibrate your energy levels. Short breather breaks, breathing exercises, meditation exercises, a short walk or screen breaks work wonders. Your everyday life won't run away if you return to it step by step. This is the only way you can pursue clear goals and get back into your flow without any stress.
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Time with friends and family
Socialising with friends and family gives you strength and brings lightness to your everyday life. Laughing together, having dinner or going for a walk with your loved ones helps you to emotionally arrive in the here and now.
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Slowly build in routines
Slowly incorporating certain routines helps you to slowly start or end your day. Start the day consciously, e.g. with a short meditation, a coffee without your mobile phone or a short walk. This will give you a calm anchor before the day picks up speed. Routines provide structure and a sense of control.
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Plan healthy, light meals
A healthy diet with plenty of nutrients, protein, fibre and healthy fats will provide you with energy without weighing you down and help you feel fit and balanced again. Also make sure you drink enough and keep your body hydrated. This is particularly important on hot summer days.
- Take breaks from the sun
Even as summer draws to a close, daylight remains an important factor. Treat yourself to a few minutes in the fresh air every day and combine it with a walk or a meeting with friends. Sunlight lifts your mood, activates your circulation and promotes vitamin D production. Perfect for a fresh start. -
Set focus times
Structure your day so that there are clear phases of concentration. For example, this could be 90 minutes of focussed work followed by a 15-minute break. This helps you to work effectively and avoid exhaustion.
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Use a routine tracker
If you want to get used to new routines or slowly find your way back to old routines, a routine tracker can be enormously helpful. Whether using an app or a traditional notebook, ticking off small habits every day (e.g. "10 minutes of exercise" or "drank 1.5 litres of water") creates a feeling of motivation and a sense of achievement. This makes it easier for you to stick with it and you can see how you are getting back into your daily routine step by step.
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Bundle appointments and plan them sensibly
An appointment here, an appointment there - instead of scheduling small tasks and meetings scattered throughout the day, it often helps to organise similar or related appointments in blocks. This saves time and reduces the need to constantly switch between different tasks. This allows you to create space for focussed work and plan enough breaks for yourself.
- Nutritional supplements for your well-being
In order to be fit and balanced again after your holiday, it can help to support your body with nutritional supplements in addition to a healthy diet. Immune system-supporting nutrients such as vitamin C or multivitamins as well as ashwagandha and L-tryptophan can be taken to support well-being and relaxation. Supplements containing Lion's Mane and theanine are also associated with promoting focus and can make it easier for you to get back to your daily routine.
Studies on ashwagandha
Ashwagandha is an ancient plant from Ayurvedic medicine and is known for its calming, stress-relieving and cortisol-lowering properties.
A study from 2021 showed that ashwagandha can significantly reduce symptoms in test subjects with anxiety disorder. The test subjects were divided into 2 groups. One group received a capsule containing ashwagandha extract for 6 weeks and the other group a placebo capsule. Ashwagandha was generally well tolerated and, according to the study, can therefore be seen as an effective supplement to conventional anti-anxiety medication. 1
Nevertheless, medical advice should always be sought in cases of anxiety. In general, if you are unsure about taking supplements, you should consult your doctor.
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Studies on Lion's Mane
Hedgehog spikenard, also known as Lion's Mane, has been valued for centuries for its focussing abilities.
The following study proved this by carrying out 3 types of tests: the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Benton Visual Memory Test and the Standardised Test for Learning Verbal Pairs (S-PA). Only the MMSE showed a significant improvement in cognitive function as a result of taking Lion's Mane orally. It is assumed that various chemical compounds in the mushroom have a variety of effects at the neuronal level in the brain and can therefore influence cognitive performance. 2
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Conclusion
Emotional chaos and a lack of structure after a holiday are therefore completely normal - so you don't need to worry. However, you can help your body and mind to slowly but surely rebuild routines with small steps such as effective goal setting, rest breaks, nutrients and a little patience.
Sources:
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Fuladi S, Emami SA, Mohammadpour AH, Karimani A, Manteghi AA, Sahebkar A. Assessment of the Efficacy of Withania somnifera Root Extract in Patients with Generalized Anxiety Disorder: A Randomized Double-blind Placebo- Controlled Trial. Curr Rev Clin Exp Pharmacol. 2021;16(2):191-196. doi: 10.2174/1574884715666200413120413. PMID: 32282308.
- Saitsu Y, Nishide A, Kikushima K, Shimizu K, Ohnuki K. Improvement of cognitive functions by oral intake of Hericium erinaceus. Biomed Res. 2019;40(4):125-131. doi: 10.2220/biomedres.40.125. PMID: 31413233.
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