Have things been moving a bit slower at the office since the end of the holiday break? Is it a little harder to get employees motivated in the early days of the new year? Don't worry; you're not the only one tackling the post-holiday blues.

The letdown in energy following the holiday season has many names: post holiday blues, Boxing Day blues (in England), or post holiday tension — whatever the name, it's common for workers to feel a letdown after the energy and excitement that naturally come with the holidays. Getting back to the 8-5 grind with no big events on the near horizon can be daunting for anyone.

"It's normal for people to fall into somewhat of a funk following the holidays," says Bert Alicea, vice president of EAP and Work/Life Services at Health Advocate, an employee assistance program based in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania. "They anticipated the holidays for weeks, so returning to work is difficult, especially if they don't have another break for months."