Getting Back to Reality

With Spring Break coming to a quick end, many students (and sometimes even adults) have a hard time getting back into the groove of things. Many went on tropical vacations, some not so tropical, and some just stayed in town. Either way, getting back to a normal sleep schedule, normal eating habits, and back to working mode can be somewhat of a struggle.

Personally, while I was away in Puerto Rico I stayed up much later than usual and actually woke up way earlier as well. So getting back to my sleeping schedule has been difficult, especially when bedtime comes. Others have had trouble when it comes to waking up in the morning due to the late mornings they had all break long. An article written on Everyday Health gave multiple examples of how to get adjusted to a normal sleeping schedule. One example is to avoid taking naps throughout the day. This occasionally results in going to bed at a later time, making it harder to wake up early. So avoiding naps during the day will avoid the problem of losing sleep throughout the night. Another tip is to avoid exposure to light before going to bed. This may include cell phones, television, and laptops. The article explains how reducing such light exposure results in a decrease of circadian misalignment (describes a variety of circumstances, such as inappropriately timed sleep and wake).

Eating the right foods is always a struggle but during spring break it becomes even more difficult. When it comes to vacation, the majority of people feel they can eat whatever they want because “it’s vacation”. I understand this completely, especially when someone is staying in an all-inclusive resort where they just keep bringing the food. Arielle Weg wrote an article on the website of Cooking Light on how to get back on track of eating healthy. She mentions a variety of tips, one of them being to take one meal at a time. Planning just your lunch or making sure you eat healthy for one meal can result in progress. Weg explains how patience is key and that getting back into things can take time. She also encourages to track one's meals. Doing so gives someone a sense of control and helps when trying to stay focused.

Getting back to working mode can be a problem for us students after a long break. Taking a week off, and sometimes longer for certain people, occasionally results in lack of motivation when it comes to school. Inc provided an article on how to come back to work/school ready to go after a long vacation. The article included many tips when trying to get back in the groove. One of which is to ease your way back into work. It explains how resuming one's old projects is way more effective and efficient rather than jumping right into a new project. Sticking with small tasks and taking one step at a time makes it easier to get back to the way things were before vacation. Another effective tip is to start off the day right. Getting a good workout along with a good healthy breakfast can lead to a more efficient day. Doing so wakes the body up and gets it ready to work. Giving this time to yourself in the morning to get ready for the day ahead increases productivity, mental strength, and even sparks creativity.

Getting back to reality after a long break can be tricky when it comes to food, work/school, and sleep. Following some of these tips provided by a variety of educational sources can be very beneficial.