Holidays Are Hard
I’ve been sitting with how strange the word holiday feels as an adult.
When I think of the word ‘holiday’, some part of me still imagines being carefree, unburdened, and fully in the moment. Long days, no responsibilities, laughter that stretches into the evening. That familiar childhood version of rest where time felt expansive and someone else was taking care of the structure of life.
But the reality of adult holidays looks very different.
There are logistics. Family dynamics. Travel. Kids. Social commitments. Disrupted routines. A lot of invisible effort that goes into making “rest” happen. Even when there are beautiful moments, they often sit alongside overstimulation, lack of personal space, and very little of the ‘carefree’ or quiet, restorative time our nervous systems need.
So when we come back from holidays still tired, still a little frayed, it can feel confusing and discouraging.
Weren’t we supposed to feel better than this?
Maybe holidays need a rebrand
I’ve been thinking that maybe holidays need a bit of a rebrand for adults. Not as a guaranteed reset, but as a change in rhythm that can be nourishing, connecting, and also… quite demanding.
I’ve noticed that coming back to work after a break seems to fall into one of two different experiences for people.
For some, it feels confronting. You’re exhausted, your nervous system is still overloaded, and the idea of getting back into the swing of things feels heavy. Even small tasks can feel like too much. There’s a sense of being behind before you’ve even begun.
For others, there’s almost a sense of relief in returning to routine. Not because work is easy, but because structure, predictability, and familiar rhythms can feel grounding. You start to feel like yourself again. Your sense of competence and agency returns. There’s something stabilising about being back in the flow of what you do.
Sometimes we’re not burnt out from work. Sometimes we’re burnt out from the absence of rhythm, predictability, and personal space.
What helps me find my rhythm again
What I’ve learnt for myself is that the transition back into work isn’t about forcing productivity or “getting back on track” as quickly as possible. It’s about re-establishing a rhythm that helps the nervous system settle and the mind re-engage so you can re-enter a flow that carries you forward.
Here are a few things that help me with the ‘holiday-work’ transition.
Clarity before intensity
Before I worry about doing more, I get clear on what actually matters. What needs to get done, what I want to focus on, what this season is really about for me. That clarity creates a kind of containment and it gives my increasing energy somewhere to land. Motivation tends to follow once I know what I’m moving toward, rather than trying to manufacture it first.
A ramp, not a leap
I’ve learned how helpful it is to have a softer re-entry period. Fewer meetings and more white space that gives me time to ground, reflect, and reconnect with my priorities before being in full service mode. In nature, nothing goes from dormancy to full bloom overnight and we’re not designed to either.
Sleep as non-negotiable regulation
My social life definitely takes a hit during this time, and that’s okay. Sleep is foundational for emotional resilience, focus, and decision-making. When I protect it, everything else becomes more manageable. When I don’t, even small things feel harder than they need to.
Reconnecting with the core of my work
What I’ve noticed is that once I start doing the parts of my job that feel meaningful, I feel more connected to myself again. Not just ticking off tasks, but engaging in the work that reminds me why I do what I do. It becomes an anchor. A way back into coherence after the chaos of the holidays.
Transitions need attention
We often underestimate how destabilising transitions can be. We expect ourselves to just be “back”, to switch gears instantly, to operate at full capacity again. But emotionally and neurologically, we’re often still recalibrating. We talk a lot about pushing through resistance but sometimes what we’re feeling isn’t resistance at all; it’s a nervous system still finding its footing.
So if you’re coming back into the year feeling foggy, flat, or strangely relieved to be back in routine, you’re not doing anything wrong. You’re just human, moving between seasons.
Maybe the invitation isn’t to demand more from ourselves right now, but to design our re-entry with a little more intention, compassion, and realism about what rest and recovery actually look like in adult life. And perhaps that’s part of conscious leadership too. Not just how we show up when we’re fully resourced, but how we guide ourselves gently back into rhythm when we’re not.