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Hey {{ first name | there }}! Welcome back to The Flow by Flocus. If you’re new around here, welcome! 👋 You can catch up on our previous editions right here.
This week: This time of year is full of breaks big and small, but life still goes on. Why it’s so hard to get back into the swing of things after even a little time off, and how to make “getting back to the grind” feel like less of a, well, grind. Let’s dig in!
⛵️ Why It’s So Hard to Return from a Mini Break
🤩 We over-hype the start of the break… How much more excited are you on the Monday of a short week, compared to every other Monday of the year? Whether you’re in school or at work, you’ll probably spend a good bit of time chatting with others about your plans, which only boosts the buzz.
😰 …and over-dread the end of it. The Sunday scaries are bad enough on any given weekend, but feel especially intense the night before a return from a longer break. And while some of that dread is valid, we tend to overestimate just how bad things will be.
The kicker? The longer the break, the more intense the hype and dread tend to be.
Think about it. Even if you’re only planning a long weekend, there’s a lot of build up to the actual break. That goes for “chill” breaks, too: having the free time and space to “just do nothing” takes some coordinating!
Which means your mind is in 2 gears at the same time: work mode, and holiday mode. This can result in an uncomfy “in-between” feeling in the days leading up to the break.
How can you reduce some of that intensity? And is there anything you can do to make your return from a break feel a little easier? Read on to find out.
😌 How to Design a Calmer Return
🎈 Figure out what’s most appealing about the break
What exactly is it about a long break that gets you hyped?
(It’s okay if the answer is “time away from everything”.)
From there, you can find ways to sprinkle more of what you enjoy most about your time off into your working weeks. Which leads to our next tip!
🎁 Give yourself something to look forward to every day
Once you know your favorite things about vacations and time off, you can start adding small touches to your weekdays — some examples:
☀️ Time in the sun: Plan a daily 10-minute walk / Wear a scent that smells “sunny”
👯♀️ Spending time with loved ones: Call or send a voice message to a friend (versus texting, so you can hear their voice)
🧖♀️ Unwinding and letting go of responsibility: Block off 30 minutes minimum for “me” time
🍱 Good food: Check out 1-pot and casserole versions of your fave vacay foods
🥳 Fun / enriching experiences: See what workshops, performances, and other events are on near you (your local library is a great place to start)
🥈 Challenge yourself to find the silver linings
Remember how we said that we tend to over-dread our return from a break?
We’re not saying the answer is to “think positive”, because that’s rarely helpful.
Instead, try to balance your anxiety with any glimmers you’re looking forward to (no matter how small).
What do you enjoy or find worthwhile about your regular work, school, home, and life routines? How can you infuse more of those small joys into your days, especially right after your return from break?
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🪅 Flocus Picks
A curated list of things worth sharing.
Building a Life You Don’t Need a Break From (The Flow Archives) — How to make life feel like one big adventure using a few small, gentle tweaks
Navigating “Liminal” Days & Weeks (The Flow Archives) — That in-between mode between work and play is kinda like the week before New Year’s, where things are frantic yet strangely relaxed. How to process all the weird emotional energies and debris that comes with “liminal” days like these
mediterranean summer lofi (Playlist) — A bright mix of sun-kissed tunes, no matter where you are in the world
✨ Flocus: Your Personal Productivity Dashboard
The transition back to work is easier when you're not walking into chaos. Flocus keeps your tasks calm and your workspace distraction-free, so getting back into it feels like a soft landing and not a crash.
🗳️ POLL: How do you usually feel the day after a break?
Coming back from a break can feel like a real slog. With these tips in your back pocket, hopefully your return from your next holiday will feel a little calmer and easier.
Got any breaks coming up? Just come back from a big adventure? Let us know in the comments! Our author writing this threw a garden party over the long weekend and is feeling fired up for the upcoming week as a result 💃
Until next Sunday,
Flocus Team
