This feels like the worst post-holiday letdown I've experienced in years.

I'm pretty sure the catalyst for my slow descent into this mire of blahs was the moment my flight landed in Des Moines last month. It was about 80 degrees in Hawai'i when we took off; it was about 35 degrees when we flew into Des Moines.

After the two-week vacation came the festive get-togethers, the gut-busting meals and the glorious days off from work.

Now, I'm struggling to get back into the swing of things, searching for something, anything, to get me out of my slump.

My blue mood isn't being helped by the fact that as I write this column, it's supposed to be downright tropical today (in the balmy 50s), and I (like probably many of you readers) am spending it indoors. At work.

I needed a kick-start, bad. So I called Julie McClatchey, director of workplace services at Employee and Family Resources, in hopes that she'd have some post-holiday pick-me-ups and remedies. We also added a few of our own tidbits in the following list of 10 tips to beat the blahs:

1. Make a new start. "What I often do coming back from any break, I look at it as an opportunity for a fresh start," McClatchey said. "The holiday, to a certain extent, serves as an opportunity to say 'Stop' to the pattern that you're in at work right now, and start over."

2. Cut yourself some slack. Don't feel like you have to come back to work following the holidays and immediately be "on." "Just give yourself permission to be off your game for the first few days," McClatchey said.

3. Plan an outing with your co-workers. Going out with friends from work for lunch can get you back into the swing of that pre-holiday, "work-social" routine, McClatchey said. For the more ambitious (and less inhibited), I contend that there's nothing better than a night of good old fashioned, team-building, spirit-rousing karaoke. One of my all-time faves: "Mustang Sally," coupled with the appropriate dance moves, of course.

4. Get organized. "Rather than thinking you need to get right back into your workloads or work patterns, take advantage of what's in your inbox and what's on your desk," McClatchey said. "Take the time to get organized and set some goals." For me, tasks include tossing last year's journals and magazines I meant to read but will probably never get around to. A great goal for workers: Learning to say "no" to people to avoid spreading yourself too thin.

5. Sport that new wardrobe. Wear that cute jacket and cool new earrings you got for Christmas when you go back to work, McClatchey advised. It's just one small thing that can help brighten your mood before you even step into the office.

6. Shift back to "normal" mode. The holiday season is rife with food, alcohol, partying and late nights. Gradually get back into your regular routine, which includes getting enough sleep.

7. Stay in touch. Holidays are often the only time of the year we get to see some family and friends. Coping with them being gone can be a tough adjustment. Avoid loneliness from creeping in by keeping in touch — cell phone plans, easy access to e-mail and snail mail make missing loved ones a little more bearable.

8. Plan a trip. Give yourself something to look forward to — book that weekend getaway to that bed and breakfast you've been wanting to try for the spring, or plan a girls' getaway to Chicago.

9. Switch up your morning routine. Little changes can help fight the winter doldrums. Some ideas: Take a different route to work, stop in at that new bakery to shop for breakfast, or head to the gym bright and early instead of after work.

10. Take the focus off yourself. Not everyone is lucky enough to have celebrated the holidays. For some, it's a time of year when old wounds are reopened, McClatchey said. "Holidays are painful for a lot of people," she said. If you're in this situation, consider talking to a counselor or friend to start dealing with the pain. Another option is to volunteer your time helping others, McClatchey said. "That can be a great stress reducer."