20 Oct 2017


It is no surprise that vacations can end up being more stressful than you expect them to be. With the planning, the travel, and coming home to life again, it almost makes vacation harder than actual work! Taking breaks from regular life is not only a great relaxer, but also has shown amazing benefits on your mental health. So take a look at some of our best tips to make your vacation as smooth and relaxing as possible!
 
 
Prepare Your Home
 
Leaks, electrical fires, and break-ins can happen – even when you’re off on a vacation. Make sure you take steps to prepare your home before you leave, and then you won’t have the middle-of-the-night panic about all your stuff going up in smoke. When you leave, don’t forget to make a stop at the post office to stop your mail – or have a friendly neighbor pick your mail up every day. Nothing says “I’m not home” quite like a mailbox full of mail. Leaving a light on, and unplugging most of your electronics is also a great idea. If you’re going on a trip longer than about a week, turn off your water, and invest in some light timers – after all, that one kitchen light on is only going to work for so long.
 


 
Cleaning up around the house also makes for a more relaxing vacation. You’ll be able to rest easy knowing that the laundry is done and put away, as well as all of the toilets being cleaned and the living room being vacuumed. Making sure to prepare a dinner for your first night home, and the following morning’s breakfast and freezing them is also a nice way to keep your relaxed state of mind when you come home. You will come back feeling like you have your head fully on your shoulders if you have all of your stressful chores done before you leave.
 
On The Road
 
On holiday weekends and popular vacation times, you are bound to hit some traffic! Planning out your route, and having some backup plans in case there are any hang ups, is a sure fire way to make sure that you get to your destination as stress free as possible. Check weather reports so you’re aware of any potential storms that will impact your route, as well as avoiding any popular times to drive – usually after 5 pm on Fridays before holiday weekends, and between 6pm and midnight on the Monday or Tuesday after them.
 
If you’re flying somewhere, make sure you plan your carry-on and luggage decisions far in advance. Keep lighters, and other such banned items out of your bags – check here if you aren’t sure what to leave behind. Wear security-friendly clothes, like sweatpants, and easy to remove shoes, and keep your metal accents to a minimum.
 
While You’re There
 
Try to plan at least a week ahead for all of your itinerary plans, travel, and packing needs. When you’re doing the itinerary, make sure you give yourself plenty of time to make adjustments to your plans, and leave plenty of travel time from place to place. Try to do as much research as possible for your destination, finding activities to do, restaurants to visit, and anything else, as the planning is really the best part. Don’t forget to plan to actually do nothing – schedules these days are so tightly packed that you don’t want to end up making your vacation the same as your normal schedule.
 
Overall, make sure that you allow yourself the breathing room you’re missing in your daily life – that’s one of the best ways to relax and reap all the great benefits of your next vacation!
 
Photo Credit: Pixabay
 



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