Travel is good for us. It’s good for the mind, body and soul. Within just a few short hours you can be on the other side of the world, experiencing a completely different culture and having your eyes opened by the different lives and perspectives you’ll see there. What isn’t good for us, however, is stress.
When we let stress and frustration consume us, it can make situations even worse and sadly, stress coupled with travel often means anxiety and pressure on a whole new level. Are you going to miss your flight? You’ve lost your luggage. You’re struggling with the language barrier. You’re lost in a completely new city and can’t find your hotel…even just imagining these scenarios can give aspiring travellers second thoughts!
Thankfully, there are ways you can take the stress out of travelling and fully enjoy your adventures. Let’s discuss them below.
Know your next steps
There’s nothing more stressful and frustrating than realising all your travel plans have been suspended or cancelled. And due to travel restrictions changing daily thanks to the coronavirus outbreak, this scenario is proving to be a regular occurrence. Knowing what to do in the event of a cancelled holiday will certainly take the stress out of the situation, thankfully credit fix has come up with a handy infographic which details your next steps in the event of a cancelled trip. Check it out!
Give yourself plenty of time
Often our stress levels peak because we’re short on time and we’re worried we’re going to be late for or miss a connecting flight. If time is something that triggers your anxiety and your stress levels then the solution is straightforward – give yourself more time! You can never be too early to the airport and the more time you have after check-in the more time you have to relax and go over your other travel plans.
Keep yourself healthy
If we fall ill whilst travelling it can cause all kinds of issues and put a huge strain on our stress levels. We don’t want to miss out on anything, yet we’re feeling so ill and spent a lot of money to get here…
Focusing on your health whilst travelling is the simplest option. Make sure you bring a first aid kit and you’re drinking plenty of water. When you’re eating overseas, try to eat food from reputable restaurants and eateries to reduce the risk of food poisoning. And stay safe in the heat!
And finally, the fear of getting lost
That moment you realise you don’t know where you are is one that will haunt you for the rest of your trip – unless you never find your way out! The idea of getting lost in a new country, city or area is something that frightens and stresses out many travellers. But having an emergency plan in place can help relieve those feelings of stress and anxiety.
Conduct plenty of research before you travel to get to know the areas you’re visiting. Take note of local landmarks. If you’re heading out for the day have the name and address of your hotel available so you can ask for directions. And, consider learning a few phrases in the local dialect.