Feeling nostalgic for summer? How to beat the back-to-work blues

The alarm wakes you with a shock, the summer holiday is over and it's time to face that inbox full of unread emails.

This time last week, life was very different. You enjoyed late nights, lazy mornings balancing family fun and you time.

Even if you enjoy your job, the transition from holiday to work can be hard, particularly in September as the days begin to shorten.

Here are some ways of making the transition a little bit easier.

It can be tempting to launch straight into tackling the hardest task first.

But careers coach Sarah Robinson says it's better to "ease back in" by starting with small, manageable tasks and "quick wins".

"It's about trying to build momentum, because I think sometimes it can just feel overwhelming when you've got a massive inbox," she says.

Counsellor Susan Carr agrees. She says it isn't possible in every industry but where viable "be a bit kinder with your expectations of what you need to do on that first day back in the office."