Summer has begun and so has vacation season! Vacations are supposed to be a break from the world, a break from our responsibilities and a break from our day to day stress. However many of us tend to carry our stress over into our vacation time which can rob us of the much needed relaxation time. I am one of those people and I constantly have to work to chill out just before a trip.
The first place many, myself included, begin to stress is preparing for a trip. We don’t want to come home from a trip to a messy house. We need to pack appropriate clothes and make sure the animals cared etc. If we wait until the last minute then that can be very stressful because we’re trying to pack, clean, call the neighbor and any other last minute things you can think of that need to be done. I’m feeling stress just thinking about this!
How can you work to avoid or at least minimize this stress?
Plan ahead! Begin cleaning a few days in advance so the night before and day of there is only minimal picking up to do. Look at the weather to help with clothing choices and think through what you’re going to pack so once you start packing you have a good idea of what is still needed.
Self-talk and realistic expectations – Many people live by the idea that 5 mins early is on time and 5 mins late means you get left! Unless you have a plane to catch, that’s not pressure you need to add to your vacation! A way to ease that pressure can be to start by reminding yourself the night before the trip that you’re already on vacation. Work to hold plans loosely and remind yourself “hey, I’m on vacation there is no reason to stress! Relax!”
Stay in the moment – Another way many of us may struggle with vacation stress is feelings of sadness and anxiety on the last day of vacation. We begin to worry about all the things we have to do once we get home and it can suck the joy out of that final glorious day. It can to undo all the relaxation we’ve achieved. So practice thought stopping and mindfulness when it comes to worrying about the future and just enjoy the moment! Stop and smell the roses, if you will. Work to focus on all the greatness around you and soak it up because tomorrow you go home. Remind yourself to let tomorrow worry about itself.
For additional tips on surviving holidays and vacation stress you can check out our blog series Holiday Survival Tips
Remember, this is vacation time! Enjoy it!
