So, summer is well and truly over. School’s back, work’s back and any sunny summer adventures are well and truly a distant memory. The first day back to work after a holiday is one of the grimmest of the year, and the post holiday blues are almost guaranteed to strike.

And to interfere with all that day-dreaming of the blue skies, delicious food and sunny beaches you just left behind, you’ll probably have a stressful commute, an overflowing inbox to deal with, impatient colleagues, a soggy sandwich (and no ice-cold beer) for lunch as well as a mountain of washing to deal with when you get home.

Image by Lenscap on sxc.hu

But, worry not – here are our top tips for beating the holiday blues.

• Start planning the next trip – if you’ve got something to look forward to for next year then you can start dreaming about the next big adventure.
• Unpack as soon as you can and sort out the washing from the souvenirs – one sure way to prolong the holiday blues is to keep tripping over half-emptied suitcases for the next three weeks.
• Eat healthily – holiday eating isn’t always the healthiest diet, so get back to eating a healthy diet with plenty of fresh veg and fruit to boost your vits. You could also try to re-create one of your fresh and favourite meals from holiday to bring back happy memories.
• Make the most of your tan and healthy glow – hit the town with friends, throw a party or think of any excuse to get your glad-rags on and make the most of your post-holiday shine.
• Get out and about – make sure you get a lot of fresh air and light to beat the blues. Exercise releases natural feel-good endorphins, so head out for a walk on the beach or a jog into the hills.
• Catch up on yourself – a family holiday is usually full of fun, but not so full of me-time, so once the washing’s done and the school uniforms are ironed then let yourself have a bit of me time – do some exercise, catch up with friends or have a long relaxing bath.
• Take it easy – ease yourself back into the real, and working, world gently. Allow yourself a few days to slowly get back into the swing of every-day life.
• Book an Autumn mini-break at the Oakeley Arms – a break in beautiful Snowdonia will soon help you banish those holiday blues! See our self-catering Cottages page for details of our holiday cottages, or the hotel pages for our lovely luxurious hotel rooms.

Start dreaming of the next holidays!
Image by Vinvalenti on scx.hu