Down and stressed after your vacation? Here's how to avoid those post-vacation blues.

You look forward to your vacation for weeks and enjoy it to the fullest, but eventually—and often far too soon—the moment arrives when you sit back down at your laptop. For many people, coming home from vacation feels like a hard landing.

In no time, that relaxed feeling disappears, and stress takes over your mind again. Research shows that this is normal, but also that there's a lot you can do to prevent the so-called post-vacation blues.

A vacation isn't just good for your mood, but also literally for your brain, according to the Brain Foundation. During your days off, they finally get the chance to recover from all the stimuli and obligations. The stress hormone cortisol decreases, while happiness hormones like dopamine and serotonin actually increase. The result: you feel lighter, more creative, and often have a sharper mind. That's also why you sometimes suddenly have the best ideas after a vacation.

The downside? That effect is temporary. Scientists call this the fade-out period. The holiday feeling can disappear after three days, but sometimes it lasts for a few weeks. The sooner you return to your old work routine, the shorter the benefits last.

Many people make things even harder for themselves by immediately catching up after their vacation. Their inboxes are overflowing, colleagues are waiting, and meetings are piling up. Before you know it, you're working more hours than before you left.

According to the Harvard Business Review, this is disastrous: you practically go from 30 to 100 kilometers per hour in one fell swoop. The result? Increased stress, guilt, and even an increased risk of burnout.

Fortunately, there are ways to extend your holiday feeling and make the transition smoother. Researchers recommend the following:

Plan a buffer day. Don't wait until the evening before your first day at work. Give yourself a day to unpack, run errands, or simply relax.

Keep your schedule light. Block out time for easy tasks in your first work week and don't schedule heavy meetings on day one.

Bring your holiday habits home. Did you feel great after lots of walking, being outdoors, or reading? Keep that on your agenda after your holiday. Even small steps help.

Plan fun things after your vacation. A dinner, a massage, or an afternoon in the park. Research shows that these extend the positive effects of your vacation.

Prepare your home affairs. Organize your groceries, payments, and other arrangements in advance. Coming home to a tidy, stress-free environment makes all the difference. Also, arrange for someone to water your plants? Then make sure you give your key to someone you trust.

Set boundaries. Decide when you're available again and when you're not. For example, you can leave your email auto-replies running for a day or two longer to get everything back on track. This will prevent your vacation from disappearing overnight.

It's not just about vacations, by the way. Even short moments of rest during a busy workday are beneficial. A quick walk, stretching, or deep breathing helps reset your stress system. So don't see vacation as the only way to recharge, but as part of a broader strategy: alternating between exertion and recovery.

The idea that you only deserve rest when your to-do list is empty can be thrown in the trash. See free time as part of performing well, just like athletes take rest to come back stronger. By being smart about the days after your vacation, you can savor that relaxed feeling much longer and avoid dreaming of your next vacation after just a few days.

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