Ahh, vacation time, but oh how we stress about vacation planning! You’ve finally arranged the time off, gathered the family, and saved enough cash to create the holiday of a lifetime. But as you’re sat there, 20 Chrome tabs open, pages of handwritten itineraries scattered across the kitchen table, on the phone with your insurance company, you wonder why planning a relaxing vacation is so damn stressful. Read on for ways to take the stress out of vacation planning.
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5 Ways To Worry Less About Vacation Planning
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A strict itinerary. A procedure for every occurrence. And the “must have fun, must relax” mindset. All of these place unnecessary pressure on you to have fun and takes all the fun and spontaneity out of the trip, which is no way to holiday at all. Such a trip can leave you more exhausted than if you’d spent a week at work.
But your next vacation t doesn’t have to be stressful. Trips can be incredibly relaxing when you remove all this unnecessary stress. With just a little planning and a go-with-the-flow attitude, your holiday can be the stuff of dreams, so let’s discover how you can make that happen with these 5 ways to worry less about vacation planning.
1. Stop Stressing
Firstly, stop stressing. Planning your trip gets incredibly overwhelming sometimes. You know what I’m talking about, right? Long flights. Multiple hotel booking websites. Choosing which tours and activities. Finding a car rental deal. And creating the “perfect” itinerary. Oh, and that’s not mentioning travel insurance.
While some planning is essential (you’ll want to book flights, hotels, and transport in advance for the best rates), you can’t plan everything. Yet you don’t need to book every tiny trip detail, scheduling your holiday in 2-hour increments.
Get the essentials booked using your favorite booking websites, or think about booking an all-inclusive resort then let the rest happen.
There are bound to be mishaps and unforeseeable things, like with any great vacation. Still, it is more important to roll with those than iron them all out in the planning stages.
Plan the essentials, breathe, and roll with it.
2. Don’t Try To Do Everything
When you sit down with your blank holiday diary, it’s incredibly tempting to book as many incredible “things to do” as possible. But trying to cram all of them into a short itinerary is no way to relax on vacation.
Instead of sipping cocktails on the sun lounger, you’ll spend most of your time jumping on and off planes and in and out of taxis with hundreds of other tourists.
With such a hectic, rigorously planned schedule, you forget the main ingredient of a vacation: relaxation. You may even find some “must-dos” are overrated, crowded, and more stressful than they’re worth, and downtime by the pool with family is more enjoyable. Instead, pick one or two must-dos and stick with them.
3. Pack Light
While there are some essentials (a passport, wallet, clothes, sunscreen, etc.), always question how much you need. The more you bring, the more you have to worry about.
When packing, adopt a minimalist approach and only bring things that serve a purpose.
So no, you don’t need an outfit for every day of the week, and every creature comfort from home.
4. Disconnect Properly
Unless you 100% have to, minimize using technology when on vacation. A vacation should be relaxing and stress-free; removing technology helps you do that.
If work-related, make sure all your clients, colleagues, and bosses know you’re out of the office and won’t be responding to emails. We don’t all have the choice to do this, but a total disconnect is a way to truly relax.
The same rule applies to social media. Don’t be tempted to check your emails or Facebook messages every 10 minutes; if you can, leave it at the hotel or keep it at the bottom of your bag for emergencies only.
5. Be Present
Disconnecting and being present go hand in hand. Being present means you’re 100% focused on what you’re doing. Whether eating an incredible meal in a foreign country, relaxing at an all-inclusive, or kayaking on the lake, give it your complete and focused attention. This means you’re not stressing about other things. By doing this, you’re not only not enjoying your vacation but not solving anything you’re worried about.
A Stress-Free Vacation
Enjoying your vacation is incredibly important. Let’s face it, if your holiday isn’t a relaxing time out period from your everyday life, what’s the point?
Of course, it’s tempting to think planning so stringently beforehand will make your trip less stressful. But doing so often puts unnecessary stress and pressure on planning and “having to” enjoy yourself on vacation.
Plan the essentials and stress less about organizing your trip. Knowing you’re arriving at an excellent resort where everything is taken care of means you can relax and let the rest of your vacation unfold.
