How often have you arrived back from an amazing vacation and said “I need a vacation from my vacation?” I am notorious for this. The excitement and hype of getting there puts me on edge, in a good way, but once there, the to-do list of what to see, where to go, what to eat, keeps me running 100mph. 

Hopefully the three steps below will help you unwind and enjoy your next vacation. Returning home refreshed instead of frazzled. And I will do my best to heed my own advice on my next one as well.

Step one: Pack with intention. For the love of God, do NOT wait to pack the day before the trip. I see too many friends do this, and it sets them in a tizzy. The first thing to do after booking a trip, yep, right after booking, is make a list of things you will need. Start with the basics. Passport. Phone charger. Keys. Wallet. Visas or travel documents. Medications. The number one way to make me panic on a “relaxing” vacation, is if I forget sunscreen and have to FIND some. Forgetting something important, thus triggering a non-relaxing reaction, is a LOT more likely to happen when packing last minute. 

Step two: Structure your trip. I don’t mean plan every minute. Have a guideline before arriving in your destination of where you want to go, the must-sees, maybe even planning a day to not have a plan, make restaurant reservations, excursion intentions. This will guarantee you do everything you want to do, but also gives you the ability to make sure you sit in silence for a few minutes as well. Structure also allows you to budget correctly. You are on vacation after all, make it “okay” to have a second pińa colada or splurge at that ONE restaurant everyone recommends. Money is stressful. Plan where you want to spend it ahead of time.

Step three: Practice mindfulness and take your time. Life at home moves quickly. If we take this moment to stop and smell the flowers, to remind ourselves to look up and see the unique architecture, flora, animals, we realign ourselves with the present moment. By practicing this intentionally, our brains begin to hyper focus on what is right in front of us versus all the crazy we left behind. Allowing yourself to be immersed in a new culture can teach you new habits, show you new traditions, and ultimately help you feel more connected and calm in who you are in that exact moment. If this is a struggle, dare I recommend, schedule time to do this, maybe?

You’re on holiday! Enjoy it! If you ensure you aren’t leaving anything important behind by packing in advance, have a structure of what you want to do, know exactly how much you can spend and where you’ll be spending it, take in your surroundings and embrace the moment, it ultimately should help you relax a lot more than if you leave one of the three steps above off the agenda. 

Control before the trip, so you can relinquish what you can’t control while on the trip. Perhaps you will even finish that book you started a year ago, on your last “relaxing” vacation. 

I definitely still have to work on this. Have you mastered it yet? Let me know on instagram!