Things To Consider for a Stress-Free Vacation
Sometimes, you vacation so hard that you need a vacation from the vacation. And if that’s not the case, it’s the stress of taking a vacation that takes its toll. Planning a getaway should get you out of the day-to-day hustle and rejuvenate your mind, rest your body, and reset your goals. Let’s look at a few things to consider to ensure your vacation is stress-free.
Plan a Longer Vacation
If you’re able to take a longer vacation, it’s in your best interest to consider this option. Usually, we pick destinations of interest and cram in a lot of activity in such a short amount of time. What ends up happening is we take on too much, and things become stressful.
Plan to take anywhere from seven to 10 days for a vacation, and try to toggle the dates around the weekends to soak in free days off. Another way you can make this happen is to reduce your PTO usage throughout the year and save it to take a larger block of time off.
Unpack Your Things Right Away
While you’re on vacation, there are several things you should consider doing when you reach your location. A significant thing that helps reduce overall vacation stress is unpacking your things right away. Upon arrival, place things where they make the most sense for accessibility purposes. Hang your clothes, fill the dressers, put the snacks in the pantry or fridge, and set up the bathroom.
All these things can make you feel more settled in the space and designate a home for all your belongings. Additionally, this process can cut down on stress in between activities and save you the struggle of digging through a bag or suitcase for an item.
Hire a Vacation Planner
If you believe a vacation planner could help you, consider hiring one. Whether they work for a luxury travel agency, or a big name that most would recognize, these people can save a lot of families from arguing about what to do and where to go. Partner with a professional, give them your budget and a few ideas of activities, and they will do the rest. Also, discuss your vacation period with your office. They must be using employee leave tracking software to manage those leaves easily.
Once they have your trip booked, all you have to do is get there. Don’t worry; a vacation planner will typically plan your commuting options as well.
Build in Downtime
Naturally, you will think of all the sights you can see and activities to participate in. But don’t forget to explicitly build in downtime. As previously mentioned, a vacation is a time of slowness and resetting. If you spend the entire seven to 10 days busy and on the go, you will miss the point of the getaway.
Ensure you pick a day or two to sit around in your rental and enjoy the space. Consider things like sleeping in, playing board games, setting your phone to do not disturb, and breathing. Building in downtime is one of the best ways to ensure you remain stress-free on vacation.
Stick to a Budget
A lot of the stress on vacation is the result of financial struggles. Without a budget, you are subject to overspending and depleting funds at home.
Once the vacation is in the books, allocate a specific set of funds to each activity or meal, and try to stick to this budget. This can help alleviate financial stress while away and ensure you have money when you return home.
Don’t forget the primary goal of a vacation and try some of these suggestions to reduce stress. It’s normal to experience some stress leading up to departing your home, but it’ll all be worth it soon.
