Coming back without rushing back

Finding your way back into everyday life after the summer

The summer holidays are over.

The suitcases are unpacked, the laundry is done or almost done, school has started again, work also, emails are waiting, the calendar is filling up and somehow, you are supposed to be “back to normal”.

But what if you don't actually feel rested?

Maybe the holiday was wonderful, but not particularly restful. You travelled, slept differently, ate differently, stayed up later, spent more time with family, changed your routine and perhaps brought some of the everyday responsibilities with you.

You had time off from work, but not necessarily time off from being responsible.

And now, suddenly, the alarm rings again.

You have to get everyone out of the house in the morning. You need to think about meals. Your inbox needs attention. Your body may still be asking for a slower rhythm, while your schedule is already asking for performance. This is often where the first weeks after the holidays become surprisingly challenging.

When your body hasn't caught up yet

We tend to think of recovery as something that happens automatically when we take a break. But recovery is not simply the absence of work.

Our nervous system needs signals of safety and predictability. Our sleep-wake rhythm needs regularity. Digestion responds to changes in timing, food and stress. Our energy regulation depends on how we move, eat, rest and recover.

So when the rhythm of everyday life changes abruptly again, it is not unusual to experience:

• difficulty getting back into a regular sleep pattern

• feeling tired despite having “just been on holiday”

• irritability or a shorter fuse

• difficulty concentrating

• cravings, irregular meals or less appetite in the morning

• digestive discomfort or bloating

• feeling overwhelmed by small things

• a sense that your energy is somehow “all over the place”

  
  

None of this necessarily means that something is wrong. Sometimes, it simply means that your body needs a little more time to transition than your calendar allows.

A TCM perspective: returning to rhythm

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, health is closely connected to the ability to adapt to change while maintaining enough stability within the system. One of the concepts I find particularly helpful here is Qi, our functional vitality and ability to move, transform and regulate.

When our rhythm becomes irregular for a prolonged period via irregular meals, disrupted sleep, constant stimulation, too much activity or simply too many transitions, we may feel that our energy is no longer flowing as smoothly as it usually does.

From a TCM perspective, digestion plays here a particularly important role.

The Spleen and Stomach are considered central to the conversion of food into Qi and Blood. This doesn't mean that TCM uses the word “Spleen” in exactly the same way as Western medicine. It describes a functional system involved in digestion, nourishment, energy and the body's ability to transform what we take in.

And this is one reason why food can become such a powerful starting point when we return to everyday life. Not because we need another strict plan. Quite the opposite.

Warmth before optimisation

After the holidays, there can be a temptation to compensate:

Back to healthy eating.Back to the gym.Early mornings.Meal prep.Everything under control.

But if your system is already depleted or overstimulated, adding another layer of discipline may not be what you need first.

In TCM, we recommend you to start with warmth, regularity and simplicity.

Think:

Warm meals.Regular mealtimes.Enough nourishment.Gentle movement.Earlier evenings.Less stimulation.A little more breathing space.

A simple soup, a warm porridge, cooked vegetables, rice or millet, eggs, legumes, fish or other nourishing foods that suit you can sometimes be more supportive than trying to “eat perfectly”. Because your body needs a rhythm it can rely on again.

Movement: not another demand

Movement is another place where we can easily overcorrect. If you haven't exercised much during the holidays, it can be tempting to jump straight back into your usual routine. But movement can also be used as a way of regulating the transition.

A start smooth after the holidays: A walk after dinner.Gentle mobility in the morning.A few minutes of Qigong.Stretching between meetings.A bike ride instead of another intense workout.

In TCM, movement helps Qi circulate. But the amount and intensity should match your current resources. Sometimes the most supportive movement is not the one that makes you sweat the most. It is the one that leaves you feeling more present in your body afterwards.

And then there is rest

This may be the most difficult part. When everyday life starts again, rest is often the first thing we remove from the schedule. But if you return from holiday already feeling depleted, your first task may not be to become more productive. It may be to rebuild your capacity.

That can mean protecting your sleep, creating a calmer evening routine, eating without rushing, taking ten minutes without your phone, or simply leaving some space between one commitment and the next. Small things matter because regulation is built through repetition.

Coming back is also a transition

Perhaps the most important thing is this:

Coming back from holiday is not a switch.

Your body doesn't necessarily move from “holiday mode” to “everyday mode” because the calendar says Monday.

There is a transition.

🎤 What does that transition look like for you?

What helps you feel grounded again and what would you like to keep from the slower rhythm of summer?

I’d love to hear what works for you 🤎!