Resuming Work After the Holidays: Why Getting Back to Business as Usual Doesn't Work for Everyone

Tomorrow is September 1st. For most employees, the holiday season is over, and suddenly the calendar is packed again with meetings, deadlines, appointments, and more. Home life demands attention too.
How do we ensure a smooth transition from holiday to work? How do you organize your professional and family life so that by the end of the workday you still have time and energy left for yourself?

The Illusion of the “Recharged Battery”

At the end of summer, we invariably ask our colleagues and team members: “How was your holiday?” In doing so, we silently assume that everyone appears at the starting line fresh, relaxed, and with a fully charged battery.

The reality, however, is much more complex:

• Vacations aren’t relaxing for everyone: Unfamiliar environments, travel stress, or the constant stimulation of a busy family life can be energetically demanding.
• Not everyone went on vacation: Financial, personal, or caregiving reasons mean that summer offered no break from daily pressures for some.
• The “transition cliff”: The sudden shift from a slower summer pace to an overcrowded schedule causes a shock effect to our nervous system.

The assumption that everyone can “simply start again” on September 1st stems from a neuronormative standard: the belief that everyone’s brain and energy levels function, recover, and switch in the exact same way. Especially for neurodivergent professionals, constantly adapting to unwritten social and work-related norms — also known as masking — requires a massive amount of energy.

What Can the Organization Do?

Sustainable well-being in the workplace does not begin with individual “band-aids” such as fruit baskets or yoga sessions, but within the work context. As described in the book Why Normal Doesn’t Work, the organization sets the baseline conditions that allow employees to flourish.

1. From One-Size-Fits-All to Tailored Flexibility

• Autonomy over work hours and location: Give employees the freedom to structure their workday to align with their chronotype and cognitive load.Hybrid working and flexible hours are not a “luxury,” but essential conditions for sustainable productivity.
• Culture of trust: Move away from control and physical presence metrics. Focus on outcomes, impact, and intrinsic motivation.

2. Neuro-Inclusive Workplace Design (Universal Design)

• Create office spaces that cater to sensory needs: combine dynamic collaboration zones with low-stimulus quiet areas designed for deep work, allowing people to protect themselves from overstimulation during the first few days back.

3. Psychological Safety & Culture

• Ensure transparent organizational communication and cultivate a culture where asking questions, admitting mistakes, and sharing dissenting opinions are not penalized — where it is also okay to admit that the vacation wasn’t all that relaxing.
• Support networks such as Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) focused on neurodiversity, providing a space to connect with peers who share similar experiences.

What Can the Team and the Line Manager Do?

The direct manager and the team act as the key leverage point for daily workability. A small shift in questions and agreements often makes a world of difference.

1. Ask the Right Question in the Next 1-on-1

During your post-summer check-in, don’t just ask about vacation memories, but explicitly schedule time to ask:

“What do you need during these first few weeks to start off relaxed and effective?”

2. Make 1 or 2 Small, Concrete Agreements

Agree on minor adjustments that can help the team member maintain their calm. Consider:

• A work-from-home or focus day directly following a day heavy on meetings and consultations.
• Stimulus-free hours: Time blocks in the calendar where no internal communications (Slack, Teams, email) or meetings are expected.
• Advance written communication: Circulate meeting agendas and documents well in advance so visual or slower processors can prepare in peace.

What Can You Do Yourself? (Individual Level)

As an individual, you can also actively manage your own energy, provided the environment offers the necessary safety.

1. Honest Introspection

• Map your work stressors and energy sources: Which tasks cost a disproportionate amount of energy, and which ones generate it? What do you need during those first few days to keep stress from peaking too high?

2. Schedule “Pit Stops” and Recovery Moments

• Avoid sitting behind your screen for eight hours straight under the pressure to perform. Short micro-breaks (5 to 15 minutes) to decompress or take a short walk prevent cognitive overload or exhaustion by the end of the day.

3. Communicate Your Boundaries

• Be clear about what you need (e.g., “Please send this to me via email so I can process it and get back to you tomorrow”).
• Set your own priorities and dare to say “no” to tasks outside your core responsibilities when your capacity is stretched thin.

Conclusion

“Getting back to business as usual” after the holidays is an outdated recipe that leads to increased work stress, burnout, and talent loss. By choosing understanding, open communication, and neuro-inclusive agreements at the organizational, team, and individual levels, professionals not only maintain their calm, but their true potential can fully shine.