Most workers want to quit after a holiday, US study reveals

Most people contemplate quitting their job following a long holiday, a recent study has found. Photo / 123rf

If you’ve ever returned from an incredible holiday and been overwhelmed with the desire to quit your job, you’re not alone.

In fact, you’re in the majority, according to a survey of employees.

Of 1031 full-time US-based workers, 57 per cent considered quitting after a long holiday, reported Passport Photo Online, which conducted the study in June.

Upon returning home, people most commonly experienced a lack of motivation at work, sadness and wanderlust.

Far away from everyday obligations, surrounded by novelty and free to pursue leisure activities, it’s no surprise people come home and experience a dip in their mood.

However, according to Passport Photo Online’s study, feelings of dissatisfaction or nostalgia are not the biggest factors behind post-holiday blues.

Almost half (40 per cent) of people said financial stress related to vacation costs contributed to post-holiday blues, followed by difficulty readjusting to work schedules (39 per cent), and “long travel times/jet lag” (38 per cent).

Holidays are rarely free or cheap, so why were people feeling sad about the cost? According to the study, it was likely because people spend more than they anticipated.

“It’s not uncommon to overspend on trips and return home with a bigger-than-expected dent in your bank account,” it stated. It went on to blame currency differences, “now-or-never” thinking and social media influences as reasons people may splurge while away.

Holidays have long prompted job assessment

After a period of freedom and leisure, it makes sense that returning to everyday obligations can make us feel unmotivated or blue, and this isn’t the first study into the phenomenon.

In 2022, a similar study found 44 per cent of people considered quitting while on holiday and 20 per cent had followed through, Forbes reported.

Although 89 per cent of people said a holiday made them feel refreshed, they didn’t always feel ready to jump back into work.

This isn’t a new or post-pandemic feeling either. Online surveys have reported similar findings as far back as 2013.

Fortunately, 60 per cent of respondents in the June study said it only took a week to get back into their normal routine. Mindfulness, exercise and maintaining holiday habits were the most popular ways to do this.

The study was done online and reviewed by data scientists to ensure a 3 per cent margin of error.