It's 11 PM on the last day of my vacation. I should be sleeping, but instead, I'm staring at my laptop screen, stomach in knots, trying to remember what I was even working on two weeks ago. My inbox has 487 unread emails. My Slack is probably a warzone. Tomorrow morning, I have a 9 AM meeting that I haven't prepared for.
Sound familiar?
If you've ever felt that creeping dread the night before returning to work after vacation, you're not alone. We have a name for it: post-holiday syndrome (or post-vacation blues). It's that mix of anxiety, exhaustion, difficulty focusing, and general "I-don't-want-to-adult-anymore" feeling that hits right when vacation ends.
As a builder and chronic over-worker, I've experienced this cycle dozens of times. And every time, I'd tell myself, "Next vacation, I'll plan better." But I never did. The transition was always painful.
Until I decided to solve it the way I solve most problems: I built an AI tool for it.
Not an app. Not a service. Just a really good AI prompt.
The Problem: Why Coming Back from Vacation Feels Like Getting Hit by a Truck
Let's talk about what's actually happening in your brain and body when you return from vacation.
During vacation, your circadian rhythm shifts. You stay up late, sleep in, eat at random times. Your brain gets used to low-stress, high-reward activities. Then, suddenly, you're expected to wake up at 6 AM, focus for 8 hours straight, and make important decisions.
It's not a character flaw. It's biology fighting you.
The symptoms show up in three layers:
Physical: Fatigue, sleep problems, headaches, stomach issues (hello, anxiety-induced nausea)
Psychological: Anxiety, irritability, difficulty concentrating, feeling unmotivated
Behavioral: Procrastination, avoiding emails, low productivity, social withdrawal
Most advice out there is either too vague ("just get more sleep!") or too extreme ("wake up at 5 AM and do cold plunges!"). I needed something practical, science-based, and actually doable for normal humans who don't have personal assistants and unlimited willpower.
The Solution: Turn ChatGPT Into Your Transition Coach
Here's what I realized: The hardest part of dealing with post-holiday syndrome isn't knowing what to do—it's having someone guide you through it in a personalized, empathetic way.
So I designed an AI prompt that does exactly that. It transforms a generic chatbot (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, whatever you use) into a specialist—a warm, knowledgeable mental health consultant who understands your specific situation and gives you a concrete action plan.
The prompt is structured to deliver four key things:
- Symptom Identification: Help you understand what you're experiencing (and that it's normal)
- Root Cause Analysis: Explain why you feel this way from a scientific perspective
- Phased Recovery Strategy: A realistic timeline from "2 days before return" through "first week back"
- Actionable Checklist: Specific, checkable tasks you can actually complete
It's not magic. It's a well-designed set of instructions that tells the AI exactly how to analyze your situation and provide useful, evidence-based guidance.
The Full Prompt: Copy, Paste, and Get Your Plan
Alright, here's the complete prompt. It's long because effective prompts need detail and structure. Copy the whole thing, paste it into ChatGPT or your preferred AI assistant, fill in your specific situation, and you'll get a personalized recovery plan.
# Role Definition
You are a warm, professional mental health consultant and lifestyle expert specializing in helping people navigate life transitions. You have deep expertise in understanding the causes of post-holiday syndrome and providing empathetic, scientifically-sound, actionable solutions.
# Core Competencies
- Emotion Recognition & Support: Accurately identify various post-holiday syndrome symptoms
- Root Cause Analysis: Deep understanding of the psychological and physiological mechanisms behind symptoms
- Solution Design: Provide tiered, actionable relief strategies
- Action Guidance: Transform theory into concrete action plans
# Task Description
I'm returning to work soon after an extended holiday/vacation. Please help me alleviate post-holiday syndrome and smoothly transition back to work mode.
Based on my specific situation, provide personalized analysis and recommendations:
1. Identify potential post-holiday syndrome symptoms I may be experiencing
2. Analyze the root causes of these symptoms
3. Provide phased relief strategies (Last 2 days of vacation → First day back → First week back)
4. Create a concrete, executable action checklist
# My Situation
[Please describe your specific situation here, for example:]
- Sleep schedule: What time did you typically go to bed and wake up during vacation?
- Main activities: Travel/staycation/socializing/entertainment, etc.
- Current feelings: Tired/anxious/dreading work/difficulty concentrating, etc.
- Work nature: Knowledge work/physical labor/creative work, etc.
- Primary concerns: What worries you most or what aspect needs the most improvement?
# Output Requirements
## Part 1: Symptom Identification (Mark symptoms I likely have with ✓)
- Physical level: Fatigue, sleep disorders, appetite changes, headaches/dizziness, etc.
- Psychological level: Anxiety, irritability, low mood, poor concentration, memory decline, etc.
- Behavioral level: Work procrastination, low efficiency, social withdrawal, lack of motivation, etc.
## Part 2: Root Cause Analysis
- Analyze from circadian rhythm, psychological adaptation, and habit disruption perspectives
- Help me understand this is a normal physiological and psychological response
- Identify the core issues requiring the most attention
## Part 3: Phased Relief Strategy
### 📅 2-3 Days Before Return
**Key Focus**: Begin adjustment + gentle transition
- Specific recommendations (3-5 items)
### 🌙 Last Day of Vacation
**Key Focus**: Schedule adjustment + mental preparation
- Specific recommendations (3-5 items)
### ☀️ First Day Back at Work
**Key Focus**: Gentle start + pace control
- Specific recommendations (3-5 items)
### 📊 First Week Back
**Key Focus**: Progressive recovery + habit rebuilding
- Specific recommendations (3-5 items)
## Part 4: Action Checklist
Provide checkable action items, divided into:
- [ ] Must-Do Actions (3-5 most critical actions)
- [ ] Recommended Actions (3-5 actions to enhance results)
- [ ] Avoid Actions (3-5 behaviors to avoid)
## Part 5: Supportive Message
- Provide psychological support and emotional validation
- Emphasize this is a normal response, no need for excessive anxiety
- Offer 1-2 encouraging (but not overly motivational) statements
# Output Style
- Tone: Warm, empathetic, understanding, professional, trustworthy
- Expression: Concise, practical, avoid preaching, easy to understand
- Structure: Clear hierarchy, highlighted priorities, easy to execute
- Attitude: Positive, realistic, pragmatic, not anxiety-inducing
# Quality Standards
- ✅ Recommendations must be specific and actionable, avoid vague advice like "sleep early"
- ✅ Strategies should be well-layered, considering progressive and sustainable approaches
- ✅ Language should be warm but not sentimental, professional but not cold
- ✅ Time points should be clear and closely tied to the current situation
- ✅ Action checklists should be quantifiable and verifiable
# Important Notes
- 🔴 Avoid medical diagnoses; recommend professional help if symptoms are severe
- 🟡 Consider individual differences, provide diverse options
- 🟢 Focus on practicality - all suggestions should be immediately executable
- 🔵 Maintain moderate optimism - provide support while acknowledging challenges
How to Use It (The Right Way)
Simply copying the prompt without filling in your details won't give you good results. Here's how to actually get value from it:
Step 1: Fill in Your Specific Situation
The "My Situation" section is critical. The more detail you provide, the better the AI can tailor advice to your actual needs.
Example Input:
My Situation:
- Sleep schedule: Went to bed around 2 AM, woke up around 11 AM during vacation
- Main activities: 5 days traveling (exhausting), then 2 days gaming and binge-watching
- Current feelings: Physically tired but mind is racing, anxious about work, can't focus
- Work nature: Software engineer at a startup, lots of meetings and code reviews
- Primary concerns: I have 2 days left and need to progressively get back to work mode
Step 2: Run It Through Your Preferred AI
Copy the full prompt + your situation into ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini. Hit send. The AI will generate a personalized recovery plan.
Step 3: Actually Follow the Action Checklist
The prompt generates a checkable action list. This is your implementation roadmap. The act of checking off items as you complete them provides psychological momentum (and a little dopamine hit).
Step 4: Iterate Based on Results
If the plan feels too aggressive or too easy, tell the AI and ask for adjustments. This is where prompt engineering shines—you can refine until it fits your life.
Why This Approach Works (The Science Part)
I didn't pull this structure out of thin air. The prompt is designed around a few core psychological and behavioral principles:
1. Cognitive Restructuring By explaining why you feel this way (circadian disruption, psychological adaptation, habit change), it removes the "something is wrong with me" anxiety. Understanding the mechanism reduces the emotional charge.
2. Behavioral Activation Instead of wallowing in dread, the checklist gives you specific, small actions to take. Action breaks the inertia cycle. Even tiny steps forward shift your mental state.
3. Progressive Goal Setting The phased approach (2 days before → last day → first day → first week) aligns with how humans actually adjust. You're not forcing a light-switch transition; you're easing into it.
4. Positive Reinforcement Checkboxes are powerful. Every time you check something off, your brain registers a small win. This builds momentum and self-efficacy.
The prompt leverages these mechanisms without you having to think about them. It just works.
Prompt Variants for Different Needs
The full prompt is comprehensive, but you might want something quicker or more specialized. Here are a few variations:
Quick Version (5-Minute Reset)
You are a mental health consultant. I have 2 days left before returning to work after vacation. I'm feeling [describe your state].
Please give me in the most concise way:
- 3 adjustments to start today
- 3 key preparations for tomorrow
- 3 things to remember on my first day back
Requirement: Each item no more than 20 words, directly actionable.
Manager Version (Help Your Team)
You are a corporate wellness consultant. I manage a team of [X] people, and team members are generally experiencing low energy after the holiday.
Please help me design:
1. A team atmosphere-building plan for the first day back
2. Work pace recommendations for this week (avoiding excessive pressure)
3. 3-5 management actions to help team members recover quickly
4. A "Return-to-Work Guide" to share with the team (about 500 words)
Requirement: Balance work progress with employee mental health.
Prevention Version (Start Early)
You are a lifestyle expert. I have 2 days left of vacation, and I want to prepare in advance to avoid post-holiday syndrome.
My vacation activities: [Describe]
My work nature: [Describe]
Please create a "soft landing plan" for my last 2 days:
- Today (2 days before return): Key adjustments
- Tomorrow (last day): Preparation checklist
- Day after (first day back): Gentle restart plan
Requirement: Don't destroy vacation joy, but effectively prevent post-holiday discomfort.
What This Prompt Won't Do
Let me be clear about limitations:
It's not therapy. If you have severe anxiety, depression, or chronic insomnia, you need to see a professional. The prompt explicitly includes guidance to seek help when symptoms are severe.
It's not a miracle cure. You still have to actually do the things on the checklist. The prompt creates a plan; you have to execute it.
It's not one-size-fits-all. The first run might not be perfect. You'll need to adjust based on your actual experience and feedback to the AI.
But what it does do is give you a structured, personalized starting point that's better than winging it or relying on generic "5 tips to beat the Sunday scaries" listicles.
My Personal Results (And Why I'm Sharing This)
I tested this prompt on myself last month after a 10-day vacation. Normally, I'd spend the first 2-3 days back at work in a fog, avoiding Slack, and stress-eating snacks.
This time was different. I used the prompt 48 hours before returning, got a concrete plan, and followed about 80% of it. The first day back was still rough (it's always going to be somewhat rough), but I didn't have the usual panic spiral. By day two, I was mostly back to baseline. By day three, I was productive.
The biggest win? I didn't feel like I was failing at adulting. The plan gave me permission to take it slow and set realistic expectations.
That's why I'm sharing this. If you're someone who dreads the end of vacation, or if you manage a team that struggles with post-holiday productivity, this prompt can help. It's not a magic bullet, but it's a damn good tool.
The Era of Specialized AI Prompts
This is bigger than just one prompt. We're entering an era where the value of AI isn't in the model itself—it's in how you instruct it. A well-crafted prompt can turn a generic chatbot into a specialist consultant, a personalized coach, or a strategic advisor.
This post-holiday syndrome prompt is just one example. You can apply the same principles to other transitions: starting a new job, recovering from burnout, adjusting to remote work, preparing for a big presentation.
The pattern is always the same:
- Define a clear role and expertise area
- Structure the output with specific sections
- Ask for personalized analysis based on user input
- Provide actionable, phased recommendations
- Build in quality checks and safety guidelines
If you're a builder, a founder, or just someone who wants to use AI more effectively, learning to write good prompts is one of the highest-leverage skills you can develop right now.
Give It a Try (And Let Me Know How It Goes)
If you've got a vacation coming up (or just finished one), copy the prompt, fill in your situation, and see what happens. It takes 5 minutes to set up and might save you days of post-vacation misery.
And if you make improvements or create your own variants, I'd love to hear about them. The best prompts evolve through use and iteration.
The future of work doesn't have to mean grinding yourself into burnout and dreading every vacation ending. With the right tools—even simple ones like a well-designed prompt—you can build better transitions, better habits, and a better relationship with work.
Good luck out there. And remember: post-holiday syndrome is temporary. You'll adjust. You always do.
💬 Got feedback or improvements? Drop them in the comments. Let's make this better together.