Why you need to stop battling the back-to-work blues and book your next holiday, already Wish you were still on holidays? Now's a good time to start planning your next trip. IF YOU'RE feeling flat rather than energised as you return to work after the long Christmas break, you are not alone. A survey from travel and lifestyle website lastminute.com.au suggests 80 per cent of the Australian population struggles with the back-to-work blues after a holiday. Scroll down for 7 top tips to beat back-to-work blues While an unpleasant byproduct of waving freedom behind and returning to workplace routine, experts say they are normal and taking a day or two to adjust will usually do the trick. " (Holidaymakers often) come back after a break with great memories of sitting on a beach and then sit down at the desk and think 'not that again'," Professor Don Byrne, the director of the Australian National University's Research School of Psychology, said. Most people will get over it very quickly once they adjust to their routine. Sydneysider Lauren Wenz with her partner on holiday in Europe. Lauren Wenz on holiday in Europe. lastminute.com.au spokeswoman Louise Ryan suggested Australians start thinking about their next holiday or find something else they can look forward to in order to blow away the blues. "Our research shows 81 per cent of Aussies say they're more motivated at work when they have a holiday to look forward to," she said. The survey of more than 5700 Australians also found that 69 per cent of people say they feel refreshed and recharged when returning from a holiday, but only one in two Australians took their full allocation of leave in 2013. Sydneysider Lauren Wenz recently returned to work after a European getaway and said it only took a few hours for reality to set in. "The reality set in that my computer had replaced my view of the Italian coastline," Ms Wenz, 27, said. It's always hard coming back to the office after a great time away. Ms Wenz said she planned to beat the blues by making the most of summer. "Given we've returned from a big trip, we're taking the holiday at home approach," she said. Whether it's a weekend away or just great weekend plans, working is made much easier if you have something to look forward to. Book it in There's no better way to get over a holiday than by booking another holiday. Pounce on the best travel deals by subscribing to online travel newsletters at webjet.com.au, bestflights.com.au, intrepidtravel.com, travelzoo.com, lastminute.com.au or travel.com.au. Have you plotted how to make your escape? Every day counts Mini breaks keep you sane between annual leave stints. Australia's capital cities have ample diversion to keep you entertained for a long weekend. Flights to New Zealand, Fiji and Vanuatu are only a few hours away. Keep an eye out for affordable deals, and set yourself off on a weekend of discovery. Time but no money? Camping in a national park - for between $5 and $9 a night, per person - delivers on big experiences. Pitch your tent in the midst of Australia's natural wonders and you'll wonder why you don't do it more often. Or schedule a holiday of free events around town. Check out Camping Australia for tips. See your own town through new eyes: check out the websites of city councils and state libraries for upcoming happenings. Make overtime count A friend banked up five weeks of leave working round-the-clock to deliver a major project. He negotiated time off in lieu and then headed to Nepal for that trekking adventure he had always dreamed about. Annual leave running on empty? Perhaps your employer would be supportive of you going on an international volunteer project, in turn boosting their corporate citizenship. Lonely Planet's Volunteer: A Traveller's Guide to Making a Difference Around the World is packed with tips about how to get started. Stay in touch With social networking sites and emails, there's no excuse not to stay in touch with fun folks you met on your holiday. Together you can reminisce about what it was like to vivre le present. And who knows, maybe you can hook up again next time. Jolt the memory What good are your treasured photos on a USB port? Litter your desk with pictures of you in amazing places to remind yourself of priceless moments. See Lonely Planet for more travel guides and ideas. Sarah Wintle