post holiday depression
After a long weekend, many people experience decreased performance and concentration, irritability and apathy. Scientists call this condition Post-Holiday Depression Syndrome. It occurs when a person suddenly changes his lifestyle and goes to work after a long period of rest, and his body has not yet had time to adapt to everyday life.
“The reason for the state of apathy, lethargy, lack of motivation lies in the contrast effect, when the brain suddenly has to sharply concentrate on tasks against the background of the previous long relaxed weekend or vacation.
Another reason is the decrease in the adrenaline level caused by rest, relaxation and positive emotions. Our composure, participation, efficiency and attention depend on the level of adrenaline, ”explained Daria Yakuba, psychologist-consultant of the SberHealth online medical service.
There are a few tips you can follow to minimize the effects of post-holiday depression.
Stress is the main enemy
In order to recover faster, it is important to return to your normal lifestyle: start a healthy diet, sleep pattern, walk or exercise.
“During the holidays, the tone of the brain decreases, and the ability to “stretch” gradually disappears. This skill needs to be redeveloped, gradually increasing the load from small to large. It’s a myth that cognitive functions improve after a break and vacation.
For this reason, it’s best not to leave the usual system at all, and if you do fall, time management can help.
Let me remind you that it is best to relax by changing activities, it is important to remember that it is impossible to reduce the cognitive complexity of the activity, this is important, ”explained the Head of the Department of Psychology and Pedagogy. Evgeny Bashkin, candidate of psychological sciences, RUDN University.
According to him, the health of the brain and spirit is related to the overall health of the body.
“If during the holiday a person did something physically, and the physical load is above normal, then it should also be reduced gradually, otherwise the brain, conditionally, will only worsen – stressing the brain, as if suddenly returning from the pleasure during the holiday, in both cases reacts the same way,” Bashkin explained.
cognitive exercises
To regain your concentration and improve your cognitive abilities, you should devote time to specific exercises: draw with both hands, walk around with your eyes closed, write with your non-working hand, or find a new definition of something well-known. lesson.
“Unusual exercises help us produce dopamine and be satisfied with an already bored task. To do this, you need to experiment regularly: for example, perform routine tasks in a new way, change the schedule of the day, change usual tasks, try to optimize processes” SPbPU Humanities Institute of Engineering Pedagogy, Psychology and Applied Linguistics Yulia Bakhonskaya.
According to him, if you do such exercises every day, you can see the result very soon.
But it is better not to use digital cognitive simulators (primitive games like Quick Brain) – they are of little use.
“The problem is that such applications greatly distract attention from activities and are aimed at pumping involuntary mental processes, all applications work like cartoons and do not affect the development of cognitive abilities. Higher mental functions such as memory, thinking, and imagination develop with effort, so for example, a student needs a simulator that will challenge and put him in a difficult situation. And everything in gadgets is associated with the existence of a predetermined scenario, it does not imply an effort of will, therefore the development of arbitrary mental functions is not carried out, ”said Bashkin.
Organization and planning
It’s harder to concentrate on work without a well thought out plan. In your schedule, it is recommended to highlight from the list of tasks those that are very important and urgent, as well as those that are transferable and non-transferable.
According to Bakhonskaya, there are several approaches to planning things.
“The most important are just the two of them. The first is to determine the amount of work for a certain period of time. For example: “I have a two-hour report and I’m not going to do anything else until I finish it.” Second, to follow the set schedule and not pay too much attention to the amount of work done. That is: “I will study for four hours with fifteen-minute breaks, and then another hour and a half, and no matter how much time I have,” Bakhonskaya explained.
These methods are suitable for different situations. If the deadlines are running out, it’s better to go back to the first option. If it is important to do something carefully and in detail, it is better not to rush and resort to the latter.
“There are some tips to help you finish the job on time. You get less tired by taking a five-minute break every 25 minutes. In addition, it is important to make a list of tasks, from complex to simple. Take care of the most difficult tasks in the morning: firstly, you will be more energetic and productive in the morning, and secondly, hard work will not hang over you like the sword of Damocles until the evening. And most importantly: don’t work if you don’t want to. Relax and only then get to work, ”advised Bakhonskaya.
At the same time, you need to be able to relax: rest is not about checking mail or social networks. According to Bakhonskaya, you need to relax for a while, close your eyes and get rid of work-related thoughts.
Sex, languages and fun
According to clinical psychologist and occupational psychologist Stanislav Sambursky, casual entertainment will also help return to normal mode: sports, sex, video games and learning languages.
“Studies have found that good sexual activity helps to improve reaction speed and visual orientation. Such a person has a better memory, it is easier for him to concentrate on important matters, ”said Sambursky.
Going through difficult stages in video games helps the player be more attentive and concentrated, and learning new languages helps the brain better process and remember new information.
“It’s important to challenge the brain every day: read, do crossword puzzles, play sports, get new information. So we will make it work with renewed vigor. For the brain to work efficiently, you need to constantly set new tasks for it. For example, if you listen to music that is unusual for you, try to write with a different hand, walk on other unusual routes, it will certainly work much more efficiently, ”Sambursky concluded.