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Formula to help cure post holiday blues
30/08/2005
As millions return to the daily grind after the summer holidays, Churchill Travel Insurance has released a mathematical formula which identifies a person's propensity to suffer from 'post-holiday blues', a syndrome which is set to reach epidemic proportions in the UK this week. The formula runs as follows:
(j + c) x (r + t) - (h + o) = Level of post-holiday blues
Churchill Travel Insurance commissioned Professor David Holmes from Manchester Metropolitan University to develop the formula, following research which showed that two in three British holiday-makers suffer from post-holiday blues, also known as PHB. One in five even begins to feel stressed about the return home midway through their holiday.
The formula evaluates a person’s lifestyle factors and identifies those in need of improvement to help cure PHB, with each factor rated on a scale from 1 to 4 or 5.
| Job j: | Are you happy with your job? |
| Colleagues c: | How well do you get on with work colleagues? |
| Relaxation r: | How easy is it for you to relax? |
| Travel t: | How well travelled are you? |
Rate the above on a scale from 1 to 5, 1 being the lowest level of satisfaction.
| Holidays h: | Are you happy with your job? |
| Others o: | How well do you get on with work colleagues? |
| Breaks b: | How easy is it for you to relax? |
Rate the above on a scale from 1 to 4, 1 being the lowest level of satisfaction.
How do you fare? Try Churchill’s ‘Blues Barometer’!
| Score | Result |
|---|---|
| 98.75 - 75 | You have a fulfilling and rewarding lifestyle and have absolutely no need to make any changes right now. Enjoy! |
| 75 - 50 | You’re happy but there’s room for improvement, so look at the lower satisfaction levels and start making positive changes. |
| 20 - 50 | There are elements of your life you love but some just don’t add up at all and these are the ones you need to reassess and improve. |
| 20 and -4 | Severe post-holiday blues alert! Review each of the lifestyle factors and ask yourself how you could improve on each one in order to bring all your satisfaction levels up. |
Professor Holmes said: "For example, someone who hates their job, goes on holiday once a year for a two-week binge in Lanzarote and can’t stand being around other people is certain to suffer from PHB and be in need of a major lifestyle overhaul." Their score would run as follows:
(1 + 1) x (1 + 1) – (4 + 4) = - 4
He also recommends a few quick-fix PHB cures: "Don't rush back to work as soon as you get back. One in 3 holiday-makers say the very thought of returning to work makes them feel depressed, so give yourself a day to recover from stressful travelling and get organised before you return. Unpack immediately instead of leaving a depressing, half unpacked suitcase in a corner of your room. And why not organise something you can look forward to, like a meal out with friends or an evening out with your partner?"
Julie Owens, Head of Churchill Travel Insurance, said: "Our research shows that many of us have our own cures when it comes to PHB. Half of us start planning our next big holiday as soon as we get back, while a third of us indulge in retail therapy to feel better. Instead of feeling depressed, we really should make the most of our return from holiday to plan for the future and see it as a time for new beginnings rather than a return to old habits."
For more information please contact:
Greg Dawson
Churchill Insurance
020 8285 3277
pressoffice@churchill.com