Sure, we all love a good holiday, we will miss the beach and the lazy summer afternoons spent sipping on icy drinks and contemplating where the night will take us. But the first day going back to work without any hopes for a summer holiday any time soon is always depressive, frustrating and downright sad: But we’re here to tell you if doesn’t have to be.

Here are XX ways to beat those Eid blues and actually be excite to go back to your routine; yes, even as winter slowly hits us.

1. Rejoice in going back to a routine: Routine, as shocking as this may come, is actually something human beings need in their lives. Waking up at the same time every morning, having your lunch at a regular schedule and not overeating every single meal and telling yourself it’s okay because it’s the holidays is actually great for your mental and physical health. Think of all the things  you missed during the holidays; your bed, turning in on time, getting enough sleep, eating without feeling you’re about to explode and not having to wait until every single person in your group feels like dinner to eat.

2. Get a hobby or learn something new to get you excited bout your routine: Now that you’re back on schedule, you know how much time you can spare, so go ahead and spare it in something useful. If you can spare three or four hours a day, and we’re quite sure you can, get off your couch and go take that cooking class you always wanted, learn a new language or even take up some arts and crafts (not to honk our own horns or anything, but do try some DIYs to get you busy and entertained). Challenging yourself keeps you interested and gives you a sense of purpose.

3. Work out: No, you don’t have to wait until May to get your beach bod, and winter doesn’t have to be an excuse for you to let your belly expand and prosper. Working out is a great way to keep your endorphins flowing and cheer the winter blues away. It also means you get six months, as opposed to one, to get your body nicely toned and not panic a week before your beach weekend with the new boyfriend about your muffin tops.

4. Give your wardrobe a makeover: It’s the perfect time to get rid of those sweaters your great aunt gave you 10 years ago. You are going to rearrange your closet anyway for winter, so take this opportunity to sort your winter and summer closet, get rid of the things you haven’t worn in years, revamp others you feel you could get creative with and sort out the ones you decide to keep.

5. Carry out a project you have postponed for ages: We all have that corner we had big plans for but not gotten around to revamp it or a wall we wanted to fill with frames or repaint. Now is time to carry out that project because research shows that revamping your living space and keeping it neat and tidy helps boost your energy levels and improves your overall psychological state. Try turning one of the walls into a massive chalkboard for you or your kids to enjoy (get detailed step by step guide here).

6. Make a long-term holiday plan: Having something to look forward to is essential to get you through a rough work day. So go ahead and plan that trip to Spain or even that cruise to Luxor and Aswan. You have plenty of time to call up your family or friends and get them on board, book the best hotel and flight rates and properly plan for New Year’s or Christmas.

7. Hold regular movie or game nights: It all goes back to that routine we are adamant you do need to a certain degree. So incorporate something fun in your routine and hold biweekly  movie or games night. It’s a great excuse to see your friends and family and gets you excited every month. Alternate hosting to keep it fun and games too; we have a long list of gun games that range from Twister and card games to Cranium, Pictionary, Monopoly Deal and good old backgammon.

8. Plan your weekends: If you can’t go to the beach over the weekend, plan your weekends well ahead. Hold a barbecue with your friends, plan an early morning bike ride with the kids, have lunch by the Nile or plan a picnic or a hike in Wadi Degla. You can even plan a day trip to enjoy sand-boarding in the white desert.

 

You can also check Cairo360.com regularly for events happening throughout the week, so challenge yourself and get out of your comfort zone and go ahead and attend a Sudanese Zar at a dodgy downtown spot.