How To Get Back Into Routine After Travelling Without Feeling Deflated

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One thing many of us don’t talk about is how to get back into routine after travels. This is somewhat another reflective post after my Solo Travelling: Don’t Project Your Fears, Worries On Me. Please & Thank You! Many of us talk about when it comes to travelling at least, how to plan for a trip, what to eat, with us girls it’s defo what are going to wear. How to get ready for a trip including packing, visa and all the other types of prep. However, many of us fail to speak on how to get back into a routine after travelling.

You know what happens once we return back to routine, our familiarities of home, work and all the rest?

As far as I’m aware we don’t talk about post travel depression, slow travel or even how to get back into routine when you get back from your travels. And it’s the question I want to answer today. Because why don’t you think we talk about it? Because it is an important discussion isn’t it?

Getting to Routine?

It very much is an important discussion to have. Recently, studies have shown that there are major benefits of travelling abroad (every two months) because the brain is able to slow travel and just truly relax from visiting unfamiliar places, trying new foods and exploring new cultures. That I can agree to.

Further studies have said that when you come back from a trip you become a different person so getting back to routine gets easier because travel truly changes your brain in ways neuroscience can explain. I can also attest to this where I am always feeling like a new person after travelling to a new country or going somewhere I have been before. And in a world that was soley created by God for me it makes sense

“For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day.”These verses summarise the creation process and highlight the significance of the seventh day as a day of rest. Exodus 20:11

I often use the time to explore the world to reflect and because I’m often solo travellling I have days where I am just like it’s me and you God in the world you created. I always feel that taking myself out of the repetitive routines allows me to have time to just sit still with God and to just really reflect without any distractions.

And so when I come back I am ready to deal with what’s in front of me as the new relaxed version that God has allowed me to be. So for this post we are going to explore how to get back into a routine after travelling not just for me but also for you because I’m well aware that going back to your route can be challenging for many. This reflective post is about to go deep where we explore this phenomena because lets face it, it is deep for people that travel. Or at least people that genuine travel I am often hearing the question how to back to routine.

Why Returning Feels Hard For Some

So returning back to routine can feel hard sometimes because the time planning and gearing up to your trip goes quickly. Once there you are learning, evolving, tasting new dishes, making new memories, meeting new people connecting with cultures the list goes on and on. And within that time you are learning who you are and embracing something new.

It’s that newness that becomes a small struggle when you return back home or at least it’s what I find people raise with me most at. I even hear many people say they don’t want to see an airport when they return back home. Maybe that is part of post depression creeping in.

That doesn’t seem to be the case for me. Getting back to routine seems to be easy for me as I do it so often. I can’t wait to get back out there when I am back, but more on this later.

Practical Strategies for How To Get Back Into Routine After Travelling

So let’s get into it. How to get back into routine after travelling?

I know for me, after travelling to more than 65+ countries I can say that the short answer to getting back into routine after travelling is to always have another trip to look forward to. I laugh at myself because this used to work when I wasn’t travelling and living abroad. As someone that is usually always on the road I am a firm believer that there is a longer answer and I’m about to give that to you now below.

The truth behind why I never dread the airport like some do like I mentioned earlier is because for me, coming home and getting back to routine was never of the memo. The end of the trip hasn’t even ended for me. It’s just the part where I get to sit with everything I’ve learned before I go looking for the next lesson.

Before You Return Create a Buffer Zone

I recall the days of returning home and getting back to routine much more quicker where I would sometimes immediately going back to work. I did this once when I arrived back from New York, where I arrived back in the UK at 6am in the morning and immediately made my way to work with suitcase and everything. Gosh, gone are those days, but saying that I recently did this when I had a cancelled Ryanair flight when I went to Rome for the day and my flight was cancelled overnight.

This method of returning back to work worked for me because I always wanted to save holidays/vacation days and I wanted to get back into routine quickly. However as I have got older I am learning that while I want to save my vacation days I do also want to be kinder to myself too. So slow travel is so much nicer on me too.

Now (for the exception of a day trip when I am in London) I get back or return 1-2 days before work. If I am travelling from the UK I will usually give myself 2-4 days before I return back to work. This allows me to adjust back to my regular routine and just feel at ease. The first couple of weekends back I always make sure it’s a home one where I chill, relax and just sit still, where I can journal, watch movies and just pour into me and be super kind to myself. I think this is what many people today call slow travel. I don’t know you tell me.

And when I say I have a relaxing weekend I have a relaxing weekend indeed. Getting back to routine to some can be a culture shock, for me I have already got used to it, but for some people it can feel a bit of a bumer. Some people don’t realise how repetitive their lives are until they break it up and get out of it.

And I am not being harsh on myself. If I am getting back to routine and I am not able to do something then it’s fine. For example I had an event that I wanted to attend for my friend after recent trip to Guatemala and Mexico, and realised that after travelling over 12 hours and going through three different time zones, that all I needed to do when I returned home was just chill. Thankfully today I have very understanding friends that just get it and if you don’t welll … we can’t be friends LMAO!

Your return back to a routine after travelling is about setting yourself up to be realistic with the expectations you have for yourself, for others and most importantly not being too hard on yourself.

Things I Must Do When Back to Routine After Travelling

Washing Clothes – this includes washing my luggage/suitcase and getting all my clothes into a washing machine.
Fasting – I fast regularly, so fasting to the time that makes sense to the time I’m supposed to eat on my return home.
Praying and Journalling – I will do a lot of worshiping, praying and journaling, writing down the memories of my recent trip abroad makes it still feel real for me.
Sleeping – I do not play with my sleep a good full 7-8 hours (or more) is important for me and I make sure I get some good sleep. If I arrive at a different time zone I make sure that I adjust my body to the new time zone I am in before sleeping. This helps me never get jetlag.

Getting Back to Routine: The First Week Back

Ok so you really want to essentially follow this guide below to help you ease yourself back into a routine after travelling gradually. Below is my first week:

Day 1: Focus on physical recovery (sleep, hydration drink lots of water, light movement) making sure you have washed clothes etc.
Day 2: Watching movies (Netflix, Amazon Prime etc.), making quick easy meals that can be made in under an hour like pasta, rice and stew nothing too heavy. You can order, but I always prefer a home cooked meal personally. Oh and try staying off social media it will only highten your travel blues.
Day 3: Get back into routine of things (going back to the gym doing light work outs, work your job, speaking to friends etc.) And maybe the off chance you need to sort out travel insurance claims etc.
Day 4: Handle essential tasks only (are there things you have to do that you have been putting off doing do it today. Because it is likely essential)
Day 5: Get back into routine but make it travel. Cook a full on meal from the destination you have just come back from, for example I just got back from Mexico and Guatemala so made myself some tacos and it was divine. Super easy and just delicious want to remember the Taco warrior tour I did. You can also meet up with a friend to tell them how your trip went, or just journal about how you feel.
Day 6: Gradually increase normal activities as much as you can.
Day 7: Reflect on the last week. How has it been? When is the next trip? Maybe start planning your next trip?

Don’t scorn yourself if you didn’t follow this to the T. This is more as a guide for anyone that doesn’t know how to get back into routine.

Getting Back to Routine: Long-term Strategies

Create Reflection Notes

Morning journaling about insights gained what you learnt about yourself on your recent travels.
Weekly “travel meditation” to reconnect with that peaceful state
Share stories intentionally (not just social media posts), with yourself, get yourself a photo album etc.

Implement One Change: Whatever you do choose one habit or perspective from your travels thats works for you and then integrate it permanently into your routine for when you come back from your travels.

Recognising that Post Travel Depression Something

I have spoken on post travel depression in the past and I am still talking about almost ten years later openly now. Post-travel depression is not just “being dramatic.” You’re experiencing a contrast shock where you have had a different scenery which does something to your brain chemistry you go from novelty to predictability, which for many is not always soo fun.

You can even experience a little identity confusion. I often find that I don’t want to ever seem like I am bragging so I don’t often speak about my travels with a lot of people a lot these days because it can lead to some competitive comparison with insecure people as well as passive aggressive behaviour. I am often asking who am I in this familiar space?

Now don’t get me wrong ofc I will speak about this on mybreakingviews platforms, I see that me sharing my travels with community is important to me and to you as it actually helps you travel too. If you actually want to.

Reframe Your Routine

Instead of seeing routine as the enemy of your travel high:

Find the Sacred in the Mundane

Your mornings should become prayers and worships use them wisely.
Your commute becomes about reading or just listening to a podcast.
Work challenges become opportunities to apply travel gained wisdom.

Plan Micro-Adventures

Explore your city like a tourist when you have recharged over the week.
Try new restaurants monthly, not every weekend, its unnecessary costs and personally not good for your body. Home cooked food is good.
Take different routes to familiar places, even just to work if you can take a different route to work, to a friends house it can rejig your brain to what you experienced when travelling abroad.
Schedule regular day trips or just trips abroad always have something ready that you are looking forward too.

Closing Views

The conversation about returning from travel deserves more attention than I could even begin to imagine. Getting back to routine after travel is really about integration. How do we bring transformation into daily life? How do we honor both the person who left and the person who returned to the familiar. As someone that has lived abroad it is very challenging for me to relate to people that have stayed in the same place forever, because they have usually stayed the same.

And I believe we don’t talk about it because it requires a level of vulnerability to admit that paradise is temporary, or living abroad changes you. And the people you leave behind stay exactly where you left from, and just sometimes, when they don’t have the same urge as you to go out and see the world they become envious and irritated by you for just living.

I love that I am able to travel and live abroad, but I am aware that even beautiful experiences end, and that real life with its repetitions and responsibilities is where we must ultimately live our revelations.

But here’s the truth: successfully integrating travel experiences into my current routine life is where the real transformation continues to happen for me. It’s not about avoiding deflation entirely but moving through it with grace, knowing that each journey outward and homeward shapes us into who we’re meant to become.

Your routine isn’t a prison to escape but a practice ground for your evolution.

Interested to hear your views on getting back into routine.

Speak soon,

MBV x

Solo Travel Travel tips