For many people, the return to work and school after the festive season can feel surprisingly hard. Even when the holidays were positive, the shift back into routines, responsibilities, and expectations can bring feelings of overwhelm, irritability, low motivation, or anxiety.
The festive period often disrupts our usual rhythms. Sleep patterns change. Boundaries soften. Time feels more fluid. Returning to structured days can place sudden demands on a nervous system that has not yet recalibrated. This is not a sign of weakness or poor coping. It is a normal adjustment response.
It can help to name this experience for what it is: a transition. Transitions place extra load on the body and mind, and they take time. Many people find it useful to give themselves or their child a full two weeks before expecting things to feel easier. Early discomfort does not mean something is wrong.
Children may show this transition through tears, clinginess, behavioural changes, or reluctance to return to school. Adults may notice fatigue, emotional reactivity, difficulty concentrating, or a strong internal pressure to get back to normal quickly. Emotional spillover at home is common, particularly after holding things together during the day.
Lowering expectations during this period is protective. Focus first on re-establishing simple routines around sleep, meals, and movement before pushing for productivity. Reducing decision fatigue can also help. Planning simple meals, laying out clothes the night before, and keeping schedules predictable conserves emotional energy when capacity is limited.
Rather than forcing performance, aim to rebuild tolerance. This may involve slower mornings, fewer commitments, shorter days where possible, and intentional pauses between tasks. Small, repeatable rituals such as a consistent morning routine, a predictable after-school snack, or a brief walk after work can provide a sense of safety and stability for the nervous system.
For children especially, connection matters more than correction during transitions. Behaviour is often communication, and responding with reassurance, curiosity, and calm presence supports regulation more effectively than immediate problem-solving.
Motivation usually returns after regulation, not before. Compassion, pacing, and realistic expectations allow adjustment to happen more smoothly.
If returning to work or school is triggering ongoing distress, anxiety, emotional shutdown, or persistent difficulties for you or your child, support can help. Speaking with a psychologist can assist in understanding what is happening and developing strategies to support this transition.
You are not meant to snap back overnight. Adjustment is a process, and it is okay to move through it gently.
If you or your child would benefit from support during this time, you are welcome to contact Chrysalis Psychology & Wellbeing.
Phone: (03) 6263 6319
Email: info@chrysalispsychwell.com.au
Transitions are never easy, especially after a season that encourages rest, connection, and slower rhythms. It’s completely normal to feel unsettled, tired, or out of step as routines resume. Whether you’re navigating your own return to work or supporting your child back into the school environment, giving yourself space and compassion during this time matters.
At Chrysalis Psychology & Wellbeing, we understand that even small shifts can feel big. If you or your child are finding the transition particularly difficult, know that support is available. Together, we can explore what’s happening beneath the surface and find strategies to ease the return into everyday life.
You're not expected to bounce back overnight. Give it time. Go gently.
Feeling tired is a common response. The festive season often disrupts sleep, routines, and mental load. Returning to structure and responsibility places extra demand on your nervous system, which can take time to adjust.
Start by focusing on simple routines, like consistent bedtimes and predictable mornings. Gentle encouragement, connection, and reassurance matter more than pressure.
Yes, it’s completely normal. Motivation often returns after your body and mind have had a chance to settle back into routine.
If the transition back to school or work causes ongoing distress, anxiety, sleep disruption, or emotional shutdown that doesn’t improve after a couple of weeks, it may help to speak with a psychologist.
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