After a well-earned holiday, it’s natural to feel the pull to dive straight back into the full demands of a new term. But what if the best way to protect your post-break wellbeing is to slow down a little?
New research in the Journal of Applied Psychology (Grant, 2025) shows that the wellbeing boost from time off doesn’t disappear the moment you're back in the classroom. In fact, the benefits can last for weeks after you’re back at school – especially if you take the right approach. The wellbeing boost is still noticeable 21 days after returning to work – and could last up to 43 days!
Crucially, how you return to work matters. A heavy workload can quickly erase the benefits, while a gentler transition can help sustain them. Easing back into work, not sprinting, can help you hold on to the positive effects of the holiday for much longer. And it’s not just staff who gain from a softer return – your students are also adjusting back into routines. By modelling a mindful return, you protect your wellbeing and create a calmer, more balanced environment for your students too.
That’s why we suggest reclaiming the first day of term as a ‘Tune-Up Day’ – a purposeful pause to reconnect, reset and prepare before the term really begins. Much like tuning an instrument before a performance, it’s about making small adjustments so we’re ready to perform at our best.
Why returning feels harder than we expect
In their study ‘Back to Work Bang!’, Sousa et al. (2019) describe returning staff as “oldcomers,” highlighting the need to re-adapt to workplace routines after time away.
Common struggles include:
- Getting back into timetables and schedules
- Reconnecting with colleagues
- Managing workload demands
- Adjusting to reduced leisure time
Many also experience return-to-work anxieties the day before, worrying about what’s waiting, feeling forgetful, or simply overwhelmed by the tasks left unfinished last term. Who hasn’t spent that first day back failing to remember login details or forgetting the door passcode?
Gentle ways to ease back in
- Bring some holiday into your everyday
Think about the things that brought you joy and relaxation over the holidays – can any be brought into your daily routine? A walk after dinner, listening to music on your commute, or enjoying your morning coffee outside can keep that holiday feeling alive.
- Claim the first day as ‘Tune-Up Day’
Acknowledge that staff and students are both readjusting. Use the day for connection, lighter tasks, or forward planning rather than jumping into heavy demands. A simple recognition that the first day can be tough reassures everyone that it’s okay to take it steady.
- Find opportunities for shared positive experiences
Post-holiday blues are completely normal. Create intentional moments of positivity in the school day – whether by reconnecting with colleagues or adding lighter activities. We often save fun for the end of term, but sprinkling some at the start can set a positive tone.
- Start new tiny habits
The post-holiday energy can be the perfect moment for small wellbeing shifts – more rest breaks, short breathing pauses, or time to connect with others. Tiny tweaks add up.
- Practice self-compassion
Some people return feeling energised, others feel flat or tired. Both are valid. Be kind to yourself – the first few days are for recalibration, not perfection.
- Adopt an attitude of curiosity
Holidays often give us fresh experiences. Bring that mindset back with you. Try a new teaching method, refresh your workspace, or adjust your routine. Curiosity reframes tasks from “I have to” into “I wonder what I’ll discover.”
A gentler start, a stronger term
Returning to school after a holiday doesn’t have to mean abandoning the ease and energy we felt during the break. By approaching the transition with care and intention, we can stretch those wellbeing benefits well beyond the first few days back. Whether it’s slowing the pace, introducing small joyful routines, or simply being kinder to ourselves, these gentle shifts can make a meaningful difference – for both staff and students.
So instead of rushing to catch up, let’s give ourselves permission to ease in, stay curious, and bring a little bit of the holiday feeling into our everyday. Your wellbeing – and your school – will be better for it.
