Millions of workers reluctantly return to work this week after Labor Day weekend, wondering how the summer could possibly be over already. Say goodbye to relaxed summer Fridays and hello to the old grind. An article in Newsday this week quotes an organizational psychologist who says it’s normal to be depressed this week.

According to the article, the passing of Labor Day weekend "provokes anxiety and depression in many workers, who spend their first few days back wondering how they are going to return to the job routine." John Putzier, the oganizational psychologist, compares this phenomenon to an exaggerated case of the "Monday morning blues." And those "Monday morning blues" are no joke — a Blue Cross-Blue Shield study once found that 75% of people who die at work die on a Monday.

The good news is that we had Monday off, so you’re likely to survive until at least next week. In the meantime, Putzier has some tips for fighting your end-of-summer malaise. He suggests throwing yourself into an outside interest to dull the pain (he recommends ballroom dancing, but gin is more likely to do the trick).

My suggestion is to ease back into things slowly. Remember, your coworkers are cranky, too. And do your best to enjoy the rest of the beautiful late summer and early fall days. After all, summer isn’t officially over until September 21st.