September Slump
Schoolkids aren't the only ones who get the blues when summer is over
Another Labor Day has come and gone. Your summer share is shuttered, your halfday Fridays are over, your vacation time is spent, and your carefree summer frolicking has come to a grinding, sobering halt.
Schoolkids aren't the only ones who suffer in September: For many of us, the thought of trudging through an endless series of full workweeks as our tans fade under the flourescent lights is enough to bring on a bout of the back-to-work blues. "Every fall is the same," gripes Joe Damiano, a copywriter from the Upper West Side. "It's like I have post-vacation letdown. It’s hard to buckle down when I feel like there’s nothing but mounds of work to look forward to." "Nothing depresses me more than closing my summer house," sighs Jennifer Russo, a legal case manager who lives in Gramercy Park. "Labor Day weekend is my last hurrah. It's the last Friday when people can bugger off a little early and no one will mind. After that — forget it. You’re indoctrinated into work mode. Even the Friday after Thanksgiving, if you aren’t at work people scratch their heads wondering where you are." Experts say it’s not surprising that many adults wear the same hangdog expression as the throngs of kids they pass shuffl ing back to school. Dr. Judy Stange, a clinical psychologist and woman for the National Mental Health Association, believes there are some solid parallels between going back to school and going back to work.
For one, it's time to get busy.
"For most of us, summer is play time," says Stange. "It's a time of year that's more relaxed. We tend to take more time off of work."
"For me, it almost feels like that back-to-school feeling never went away," Russo agrees. "I don't know if it's because we were in school for so many of our formative years and the pattern stuck, or what. But I have all this free time in the summer, and come fall there are a lot more obligations and a lot more restrictions - especially with work. I feel like I won't get any of my free time back until next Memorial Day weekend."
Dr. Charles Goodstein, a psychoanalyst and clinical professor of psychiatry at NYU School of Medicine, also sees a strong connection between the back-to-work blues and back-to-school memories.
"For adults, a summer vacation represents a rare, pleasurable regression to the relaxed, carefree ways of childhood," he says. "And for many, September means growing up. Who wants that?"
Stange believes that fall's shorter days and diminishing natural light may also play a part in bringing on the back-to-work blues. For one thing, she says, "Even if we work through summer, the days are longer, so we have more free time to do what we want after the office closes."
And we gain more than just an hour or two extra for a jog in the park before the sun sets. The extra sunlight "can have a considerable effect on mood," she says. "When you're on vacation, you're outside more and exposed to more light, so the thought of crawling back into your dark cubicle can be disappointing."
Damiano dreads not only the loss of daylight, but also the change in wardrobe that fall implies.
"I don't like the shorter days, the cold weather and the bulky sweaters and coats that go with it," he says. "I feel restricted, trudging around the city in the cold. Rather than put on layer after layer to go out, I'd just as soon camp out in front of the TV and call it a day."
Ease back into it
Did you greet last Tuesday the way a child faces a trip to the dentist? You've got company - after summer's last gasp, the first day back at the office can be a major morale crash.
"For those who aren't in love with their jobs, the gap between how much they enjoy their work and how much they enjoy their vacations is enormous, so much so that it hits hard when it comes time to go back to their jobs," says Goodstein.
One way to beat the back-to-work blues is to slowly ease back into your work routine.
"It's hard to get back into the swing of work right away," explains Stange. "A good game plan is to come back from vacation a day or two early to re-establish your daily routine. Limit your exposure to light, eat your meals and go to sleep at the same times you would if you were working, so the change in schedule isn't a big shock to your system."
She also advises easing back into your first day at work, as opposed to diving into your in box headfirst.
"Be gentle with yourself," she says. "People have this tendency the first day back to work through lunch without coming up for air. Take an afternoon break, get out in the sunshine, and take some time for yourself if you can. If you plunge back into overdrive, the stress will hit you hard."
Look on the bright side
EIt's inevitable that the leaves will soon fall, but your morale doesn't have to follow suit. By adopting a glass-half-full attitude, you can embrace what's good about fall.
"Fall can feel like a new beginning," says Damiano. "Once you shake off the blues and dig into work, the sense of accomplishment you feel can be rewarding."
"Sometimes when we come back from vacation, we feel refreshed, revived and more productive," says Stange. "We can feel proud about what we accomplish, and that's a good thing."
So there you have it — with the right attitude, we can make the most of labor after Labor Day. Besides, it won't be that long until we can goof off again.
"It's important to recognize that just because your prolonged vacation time is over, it doesn't mean you have to remain in a nose-to-the-grindstone state," says Goodstein. "The holidays will approach soon enough, and we'll have some time to regress to the carefree ways of childhood again."
Fall shouldn't mean a world of all work and no play. Beat the back-to-work blues with these tips:
- Get outfitted: Looking good always boosts the morale. Treat yourself to some new fall duds.
- Get off the couch: Just because your favorite shows are back on rotation doesn't mean you should forgo the wonder of TiVo. There's still daylight until 7:30, so don't waste it. Get out and take advantage of the balmy, early fall evenings.
- Get moving: Joining a sports team or working out at the gym can keep you moving and motivated.
- Hold onto memories: Keeping a summer snapshot in your workspace can help bring you back to that summery, happy place at a glance, suggests Stange.
- Take a winter break: "Planning a fun activity or vacation during winter can make all the difference in your attitude," says Stange. Russo readily subscribes to this philosophy. "Every fall without fail, I plan a trip to Europe," she says.
Are you SAD every fall?
For some, the back-to-work blues are more than just a fleeting feeling of sadness. If you find yourself feeling depressed, oversleeping, lethargic, socially withdrawn and uninterested in everyday activities every fall and winter, but are much happier come springtime, you may suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). For more information about SAD, contact the National Mental Health Association at (800) 969-NMHA, or visit nmha.org.Forget to roll over your 401(K). Take your money with you!