A holiday can be just what you need to relax and unwind, but returning to work can leave many British workers feeling a little flat and unmotivated, according to the results of a new survey by affordable car hire booking company, Auto Europe.
After all the holiday hype has come to end, over half of the respondents polled felt down in some way when they get back to work, while just 31 per cent felt happy and refreshed.
Returning to the office after spending time in the sunshine makes a quarter feel deflated, while over one-fifth experience melancholy before they have even booted up their computer.
More than one in ten are hit with so much stress that it feels like they never went on holiday in the first place, while 12 per cent become anxious about getting back to the daily grind.
The survey revealed that more than half of workers employ many different coping methods to help them get over feeling glum and take their mind off being back to work.
A third treat themselves to extravagant gifts or shop online to boost their mood, while more than a fifth immediately plan or book another break without running it past their boss to make sure it’s ok to have the time off, maybe hinting at a touch of desperation to get away from the office again!
Just over one in 10 admit to drinking more alcohol than they usually would to get over post-holiday blues, or turn to eating sweet treats to help them feel better.
Rui Alves, head of digital marketing at Auto Europe, explains: “Holidays are a vital way to recharge the batteries and reflect on your life as well as your career.
“But it’s only natural that, as employees return to work, many will suffer from post-holiday blues. However, if you’d rather be anywhere but back at work after a holiday, it might be the wake-up call you need to find a new role.”
Other findings from the research revealed that being away can cause British workers to feel alienated from work and colleagues, while a further 9 per cent feel that a holiday has left them with too much to cope with.