How to Shake the Vacation Hangover

It’s getting to be the most wonderful time of year again…and I know a lot of you are packing up to embark upon epic holiday trips in beautiful locations. Traveling during the holidays can be a great time to forge new friendships, create memories that will last a lifetime, relax, and leave all of our worries behind…dreading the day when we have to drag ourselves back into our monotonous routines and dealing with vacation hangover.

That first day back to work after a holiday is enough to drive most us to begin planning our next getaway. We crave the euphoria that comes the moment we open a web browser to begin looking at flights, checking out accommodations, and creating itineraries. We find ways to cope with our vacation hangover. We longingly think about that favorite meal we had, overlooking that awesome vista. We dream about our last sunset…only to open our eyes are realize that it’s over. We’ve been thrust back into reality and realize we have the vacation blues, aka vacation hangover.

How can we get over vacation hangovers? How can we get back into the swing of things and be fully-functioning people again? Here are my top tips to help you shake the vacation hangover!

Crush Jet Lag

I used to have a quote pinned on my bedroom wall that said “Jet lag is for wimps,” and I lived by that. I would burst with pride when I’d come home from a trip and not have any real jet lag.

I could fly through the night or early in the morning, land at the airport, change into work clothes, and then go straight into work for a full 8-hour shift.

No joke.

I was invincible. To this day, I can take a flight to the other side of the world, grab a rental car, and drive 2 hours into the Transylvanian wilderness without crashing.

I don’t believe I have superpowers: I’ve prepared myself mentally and take certain steps during the journey to do all I can to avoid jet lag. And guess what? Everyone can do it!

Stay hydrated with WATER, sleep on the plane (I’m horrible at this), and immediately adjust to the new time zone: if you land at breakfast-time, eat breakfast. Keep moving. You can do it!

Pace Yourself

Like I mentioned above, I am crazy. I can still go straight from the airport to work. Granted, I would crash in the early afternoon and struggle the last couple of hours at the office, which isn’t healthy and I don’t recommend it, no matter how much Dr. Pepper you consume.

Give yourself a buffer when you return to reacclimate yourself to your home-situation. I wouldn’t recommend planning any big parties or outings when you first get home.

Take some time to adjust to your home time zone, similar to battling jet lag.

UNPACK!

There’s nothing more therapeutic to shaking your vacation hangover than to unpack your suitcase and put it away. It’s going to be tough.

You’ll gaze longingly at that overstuffed carry-on and what it represented: freedom.

Adventure.

LIVING.

Don’t worry – your dreams aren’t going to die if you wash your clothes. If you put away your toiletries. If you air out your backpack.

Just think of it this way: you need to get your bags ready for your next trip. They need a break. They need to not smell like your dirty socks or whatever that person in your hostel was eating.

I know doing laundry is tedious, but nothing helps get you back into a routine than washing your dirty clothes!

Don’t be one of those people who leave their packed suitcases laying around the house, while shuffling from room to room in denial of being back.

Detox

If you’ve been traveling to places with new and different cuisines than what you’re used to, your digestive system is going to need a break.

Go grocery shopping and prepare yourself a few simple, healthy meals to cleanse your body.

Meditate.

Whenever I return from overseas, I get a 2-hour massage.

Drink tons of water.

Go on walks around your neighborhood and mentally recharge.

You’ve just been on an epic adventure and your mind has been working on overdrive with all of the stimulation: new foods, sights, sounds, smells, all the senses on overload.

Reconnect with Loved Ones

Nothing was better than returning from Europe and hearing my niece calling my name for the first time. Before I left, she was still figuring out how to pronounce the “sh” sound, calling me “Aunt Selly.” Hugging her and hearing her say “SHelly” for the first time sent an electric charge through my body and kicked out whatever vacation hangover I had left.

Instead of those post-vacation blues, I was overwhelmed with love, excitement, and peace: powerful hangover cures.

A hug.

A kiss.

Hearing a loved one say your name.

Who knows what kind of magical powers each one of those possess?!

Sort Through Your Travel Pictures and Souvenirs

Shaking away your vacation hangover doesn’t mean forgetting what you’ve experienced.

Pull out your camera phone, download your SD card, flip through your pictures and relive your experiences.

Share them with a friend or family member.

Write about your experiences. Your emotions.

Preserve your travel memories so they will stay fresh and can help fuel your next vacation planning.

Recalling happy memories can help keep the memories alive, rather than allowing you to become sad that they’re now over.

Don’t Compare

One of the hardest things to do when returning from an epic vacation is to not compare where you are to where you’ve been.

Don’t become one of those people.

“Ugh, the buildings in Europe were so much prettier than here. Italian food here is a poor representation of real Italian food from Rome.”

You’ve heard these people before. And have probably made fun of them, too. Don’t allow yourself to now become one of them.

We tell our children and friends to not compare themselves to other people. Avoid doing the same thing about the places you are and where you’ve been. That type of negativity will lead you down a spiral towards acute vacation hangover!