I've just come back from a holiday and I feel like I've hit a wall

It was the first holiday my children have been on that lasted more than a weekend and didn't involve me needing to attend a work conference during the day.

However, all good things must come to an end and with the rollercoaster of challenges and triumphs we experienced over the last week pulling into the final station on the weekend, I am finding myself having to put my work hat on quick-smart and jump back into working life.

Except, I think I need a holiday to recover from our holiday. I am genuinely exhausted.

It is no coincidence that I found my very first grey hair on the day we drove home. I blame the kids entirely of course, and have since decided to call this hair a "micro blonde streak".

But the fact remains that going away for a holiday (especially with kids) can leave you feeling less than energetic about the idea of returning to work.

For many people, it's not about recharging the batteries, so much as refilling your cup by creating wonderful experiences for others ... namely my cranky, perpetually spoiling-for-a-fight children, and that can often take a lot of work (and patience and the odd glass of wine), despite the heart-full feelings that make you feel like it was all worth it (mostly).

So how on earth do you get back into work after you've filled your cup instead of recharging your batteries?

It turns out, a back-to-work slump is "normal" after you've been away on holidays. In fact, there's a name for it: the back to work blues. So that's inspiring.

Apparently, it's such a common experience that studies have been done with regards to length of vacation time, activities undertaken and the impact on mental health upon returning to work.

These studies suggest that shorter breaks are actually better in many circumstances for avoiding the harsh plunge back into the reality of the daily working grind.

However, that's not always possible when you need to take a longer break to visit loved ones who live further away or if you just want to get away and explore somewhere new. I mean, you can't exactly pop overseas for the weekend when you live in Australia.

I read an interesting article recently that talked about the employer's responsibility to support their workers in their readjustment back to work. Having worked in both the public and private sectors before going into business myself, I can't say I've ever come across a government department or company that does this and it's an interesting idea. Afterall, helping workers readjust to the daily grind will benefit the workplace because their productivity and engagement with work will be much more effective much sooner.

I mean, we've all heard about "mindfulness programs" that are somewhat tokenistic to the idea of supporting worker mental health and wellbeing in the workplace - but this isn't that.

It's not about bringing in a yoga teacher on the lunch hour three times a week to help staff manage their stress, or putting them through resilience training (mind you, I wouldn't say "no" to a massage therapist on the boss' dime during lunch!).

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With regards to staff returning to work after a break, it's really about ensuring that their work has been delegated appropriately - and completed to a high standard - in their absence; their email inbox has been monitored and kept up to date; and that there isn't a week's worth of work sitting on their desk waiting for them to "catch up on" when they return from their holiday.

Nothing kills a post-holiday buzz than the realisation that you have to work twice as hard when you inevitably get back to their desk.

Furthermore, the employer should have a meeting with their returning team member on their first morning back to update them on what's happened in their absence and where everything is up to, so they don't feel like they are lagging behind and have no idea what's what from the moment they step through the door.

Kinda makes me wish I wasn't a sole trader. My boss wasn't even at the office while I was away! How rude!