How do you get over a disappointing vacation?

  1. Process your emotions by giving a voice to your disappointment. It is okay to say, It was the worst vacation ever. Don't listen to those people who feel you should be grateful that you even got to take a vacation. ...
  2. Use the vacation to get in touch with yourself on a deeper level. ...
  3. Make changes.




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Practice gratitude and acknowledge the positives
Even if you really had a bad time, expressing gratitude for even going in the first place and acknowledging any positives from the trip may help to mitigate the feelings and add some perspective.

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Some causes of this type of stress include too abrupt a transition from vacation to work and feeling ambivalent or disappointed by the quality of your vacation. You may also realize that when you go back to work, all the nice things you were doing for yourself on vacation might go out the window.

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It usually takes a few days, but in extreme cases, the mood can last for several weeks before wearing off. Faster ways of treating post-vacation blues are for the person to share experiences with family and friends or to look at photos and souvenirs.

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Besides misaligned expectations, banking on a vacation to be the ultimate solve or escape for something you don't feel good about already—whether it's your mood or a situation at home, relationships with loved ones, or work—can contribute to vacation guilt, says Dr. Norris.

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But when you're feeling that guilt about spending money on a vacation or spending money on this or that nice thing or whatever, that guilt can come from one of two places: 1) the spending is out of line with your priorities, or 2) your priorities are out of line with your spending.

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You may also just experience an overall grieving period when your vacation comes to an end. These feelings are common — in fact, most people tend to feel their happiest before a vacation, not after.

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The University of Pittsburgh's Mind-Body Center found that taking vacation increases positive emotions and reduces depression. And spending time in nature has been shown to reduce negative rumination and improves overall psychological wellbeing.

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A: “A lot of the research shows the benefits may last up to three to four weeks but then may fade out. The effects of a short vacation of four to five days may be just as powerful as a longer vacation.

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Just over a week is the optimal duration for a vacation as the benefits associated with vacationing start tapering off after the eight-day. After two weeks, not only does the vacation become less enjoyable, and stress can accumulate. So, 2 weeks is too long for a vacation.

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Travel anxiety — aka vacation anxiety — is a feeling of worry or fear that occurs in relation to traveling. Having travel anxiety can make planning and going on trips difficult. Just the idea of going to a new place may bring on feelings of fear, uncertainty, and extreme nervousness.

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Take time to decompress
It is just as important to reset your mind after your vacation as it is to reset your body. Take time to unwind and process all the unique experiences you had. Unpack and unclutter your house, but don't make your to-do list the first week back home too long.

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Traveling between different climates can confuse our bodies and make us more susceptible to illnesses because our immune systems aren't sure how to react. Your body has to readjust to the new temperature before it can fight off any symptoms coming your way, allowing you to feel sick much faster.

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You could be experiencing a burnout if you ever wake up feeling dejected and exhausted, like you want to give up on the day before it has even started. These are the days when all you want to do is crawl back under the covers and not move all day.

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