Feeling Post-Vacation Blues? Five Tips To Make Coming Home Less Painful

Coming home from vacation can be a downer; it can be difficult to acclimate to the daily grind after time away. If you want to make coming home a bit less painful, here are five suggestions that might make the transition less discouraging:

1. Hire and reserve a shuttle.

Make your final leg of the journey comfortable and relaxed. Nothing is as frustrating as having to deal with waits, long lines, and wasted time when you are getting close to home. Call and arrange an airport taxi to pick you up promptly, or a shuttle to ensure you get to your vehicle swiftly.

2. Save something for the end.

Time flies during a vacation, and it seems as though just as you getting unpacked and comfortable it is time to get ready and pack to go home. To avoid the sense of disappointment that can set in on the last night of your trip, save something special for this last evening after the packing is done. It might be a night of gambling at the casino or a massage and manicure at the spa.

3. Spend a night on the way home.

Another way to decompress after a fun-filled vacation before arriving back in the reality of your everyday life is to plan to spend a night on the way home from the airport, port, or station. Arrange a night an hour or two from home, if possible, and preferably choose a place with something laid-back that the whole family can enjoy. This might include a movie theater, outlet mall, or specialty restaurant that you can enjoy before heading home in the morning.

4. Arrange meals or housekeeping while you are away.

Coming home to a dirty house and an empty fridge can add insult to injury when coming home after your long-awaited vacation. Make plans before you leave to have someone come in and clean, or give the house a quick once-over so you aren't doing dishes when you walk in the door. Ask a friend or family member to leave something in the fridge or freeze a casserole before you leave on vacation, so you will have something quick and comforting to eat when arrive.

5. Stick to your budget.

One of the biggest downers after returning from vacation is often regret; this regret may surround having spent too much money, or having exceeded the allotted budget for the trip. Incidents and situations will come up during time away, and these could be costly. Add a miscellaneous fund to your vacation budget to account for these potential issues, and try to keep impulse spending at a minimum.

Coming back from vacation can be discouraging and downright dreadful; often times, it is a year before you will have the means and opportunity to go away again. Try these tips to make coming home a little easier and less uncomfortable.