Going back to work or campus after the Spring Festival is often a stressful experience. Many people are feeling the post-holiday blues this week, especially when they have to leave their hometowns and get back to work in first-tier cities like Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen.

    Indeed, post-holiday blues always cause us strong feelings of nostalgia, tiredness and a return of loneliness and guilt about overindulgence.

    After a winter holiday, you might find that you have an inbox full of emails and have dozens of messages to reply to, or you might feel a little out of shape and your weight is rapidly increasing. However, don’t panic and fear that you are unable to get back into a productive routine and adjust to a fast-speed lifestyle in metropolitan cities.

    There are many ways to help you cure post-holiday depression, regain a positive attitude and catch up with what is going on. Here are some tips which have worked really well for me and my classmates when we returned to London after the New Year break in January.

    First of all, eat away your blues and melt away your excess weight gained from family dinners. No doubt that it is a struggle to go to the gym regularly and eat proper food after a season of overindulgence and time with families.

    However, starting to eat healthy food again and ensuring that you get effective exercise can not only enhance your mood but also help you return to being fit quickly.

    If you really can’t drag yourself to the gym or Pilates class, you can try to explore a stronger network at work or study environments, and at the same time stay connected with friends and family back home.

    Continuing to spend time around people can help you get through the transitional period smoothly. This is because you will feel a high sense of loss and solitude when you are aware that you are suddenly not surrounded by familiar relatives and friends as you were during the Spring Festival. Therefore, it is a good choice to go out and engage in social activities when you feel lonely especially when in a city far away from your hometown.

    Last but not least, you may be annoyed at yourself because of your lack of concentration on work or study. As your heart remains on holiday while your physical presence is required to be at the office or school, you may become more impatient and anxious about overwhelming work.

    Thus, it is better to make a realistic and workable plan, but do not push yourself too hard. Always remind yourself it is totally natural to feel blue sometimes, and allow yourself to start back on a work routine at a slower pace.

    So hey guys! After recharging your batteries with rest and relaxation, it is time to get back to healthy habits and start a new beginning in a good mood!