How to Make the Most of Your Vacation

• Travel

Written by: Omar Amanat

Summary: A vacation isn’t always a stress reliever. Believe it or not, it can actually exacerbate the feelings of stress.

Summer is just around the corner, which means it’s time to start planning your vacation. Now, while it might seem like an exciting opportunity to get away from your job or school to recharge and unwind, there’s a chance that your trip could turn into an overwhelming burden that can actually stress you out. So, how can you create a balance between doing all the fun things you plan to do and relax at the same time?

Go With the Flow

Many vacationers “have to do” everything on their list or else they feel like they’ve wasted their time and money. While agendas and checklists are helpful in keeping you organized, they can also bog you down and create that unnecessary stress that you’ve been longing to avoid from the very beginning.

Don’t take this as an excuse for you not to avoid visiting places or seeing new things. Rather, it’s a reminder that the small things that you tend to stress out about are often not as important as you think they are when looked at from a wider perspective. You might be thinking that you need to cover every area of Paris, for example, because of all the money and time you’re putting into the trip. If such thoughts are beginning to stress you out, just say no and choose what you want to do instead of limiting yourself to lists and “must do’s”.

Appreciate the Small to Reap from the Large

When you wake up in the morning, don’t set such a high bar for yourself in terms of happiness. Meaning, take things in stride and don’t come down so hard on yourself. By doing this, you’ll appreciate the small things more so when your vacation comes around, you’ll truly see it for what it is – a deserved getaway.