Regaining your spirit from 'post-Tet syndrome'

Tet holiday is a time for reunion and fun, but it can also disrupt the rhythm of life for many people. When the long holiday ends, many people feel bored, disappointed, and even affect their work spirit after Tet.

Lấy lại tinh thần từ — Clean up your desk, set goals for the new year to start again after the holidays - Illustration: NGUYEN HIEN

After days of staying up late, eating irregularly and getting used to comfort, getting back into the daily routine becomes a big challenge.

Feeling tired, lethargic, and lacking motivation can even last for many days after Tet, affecting work performance.

Long break, then don't want to go back to work

On February 2, the 5th day of Tet, Mr. Minh (30 years old, in Hanoi) sighed as he looked at the calendar, tearing off the last page of the holiday. On the 6th day of Tet, he returned to his daily work after days of eating, sleeping, and playing. Thinking about having to wake up to go to work, but the feeling of lethargy and laziness made him want to prolong the Tet holiday.

During the week-long Tet holiday, Minh was used to staying up late to watch movies, playing cards with friends, and sleeping until noon. Now, returning to normal life has suddenly become a thorny challenge.

"Every year, after the holidays, I feel like I can't concentrate on work. We invite each other to celebrate the New Year with parties, then go out and have fun at the beginning of the year.

It was about 2 weeks after the holiday that I actually returned to work. Although this caused a lot of trouble, I was not guaranteed the assigned work, but I still could not concentrate on my work," Minh confided.

Ms. Lan (39 years old) is ready to return to normal life after the long holiday. Ms. Lan shared that she also had "post-Tet syndrome" before, as everything after the holiday seemed slow and sluggish.

After many years of dealing with this syndrome, Lan has come up with a plan to readjust her lifestyle after each vacation.

"Before the holiday, I usually wake up at 6am to exercise, have breakfast with my family and go to work, but on the holiday, the whole family sleeps in until 8am. So after the holiday, we have to go back to our normal schedule.

The night before the end of the vacation, I went to bed early instead of chatting and watching my phone until late at night. The next morning, I woke up on time and did some light exercise to relax my mind.

And the important thing when returning to work is not to force yourself to work at high intensity right away, just start with small things first," Ms. Lan shared.

Adjust your lifestyle

Psychologist Thu Hien, a member of the Vietnam Psychology Association, said that after Tet holidays or trips, many people feel tired, want to continue playing, and have difficulty returning to work. It can be a feeling of loneliness, emptiness, boredom, stress...

"We thought that a vacation would give us a sense of rest to regain energy, but in reality, for some people, returning to work after the holidays is never easy," said Ms. Hien.

Experts advise that to quickly get back into rhythm, you should adjust your daily routine as soon as possible, especially ensuring you get enough sleep and eat healthily.

According to psychologist Nguyen Ngoc Hoang, a member of the Vietnam Psychology Association, feeling tired and lacking motivation after the Tet holiday is a normal phenomenon because the body has not yet adapted to the sudden change in living habits.

To quickly regain your rhythm of life and improve your work performance, psychologists advise you to readjust your lifestyle as soon as possible.

After the holiday, you should return to a scientific sleep-wake schedule, ensuring you get 7-8 hours of sleep each day. Maintaining a stable schedule helps the body adapt quickly and increases alertness.

Mr. Hoang said that then start with small, easy-to-do tasks. Don't rush into high-intensity work right away.

Spend the first day checking emails, organizing your work, and making a list of important tasks. Completing the simple tasks first will give you a sense of accomplishment and motivate you to continue working.

In addition, you need to increase physical activity. Light exercise in the morning, walking or doing some stretching exercises on the spot will help your body stay awake and reduce the feeling of sluggishness.

Eat healthy, after days of irregular eating during Tet, add green vegetables, fruits and drink enough water to purify the body and improve energy.

Avoid too much coffee or sugary drinks as they can make you feel more tired after the stimulating effects wear off.

"In addition, stay optimistic and set new goals. Instead of regretting the past holiday, consider this an opportunity to start a new year with clear plans. Set small goals to motivate yourself, helping you feel in control of your work instead of being overwhelmed by pressure," psychologist Ngoc Hoang recommends.

Mr. Hoang emphasized that adjusting to the pace of life after Tet is not too difficult. Just apply the above methods step by step, you will soon regain balance and start a productive, energetic working year.

Clean up your workspace and plan for the new year

Expert Thu Hien also believes that to create a working spirit, on the first day, take the time to clean up your desk neatly and cleanly. You can place a small vase of flowers or a green plant in front of you to create a fresh space, which is also a way to improve your working spirit.

"Also, to be able to return to work with the most comfortable spirit, eliminate the factors that distract you.

For example, you can turn off phone notifications, temporarily lock social media accounts or delete unnecessary applications to avoid being disturbed while focusing on work," Ms. Hien advised.

Also, make plans and goals for yourself in the new year. That will be the motivation for you to make efforts to overcome the "post-holiday" period smoothly.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/lay-lai-tinh-than-tu-hoi-chung-sau-tet-20250203233201328.htm