Knowing how to avoid travel stress can make all the difference in whether you enjoy your trip or not. In this article I would like to share some strategies to help make your next trip less stressful. A good experience is usually a precursor to more of the same, or as the Dutch say… “a good beginning is half the job”. I hope these tips aid you to travel more with less stress.
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1. Plan ahead. Before you make your reservations, you will need to know which travel documents are required and if you do not already have them, how long it will take to acquire them and where to get them, e.g. passports and visas. You want to avoid a scenario where you find out you need certain documents but do not have the time to apply and get them before you travel. Anxiously waiting for them will not help your blood pressure. If you keep your passport updated, you will be freer to travel on the spur of the moment.
2. Find out if you can change your reservations if necessary and if there is a penalty. Knowing this information in advance will help you in the event of an emergency that detains you. At least you will not be scrambling to discover this knowledge when you are distracted with having other things on your mind. It will help you make more informed decisions.
3. Start packing early and plan on traveling light. Make a list of what you need to pack and begin to gather your things. By doing this in advance you will soon find out if there is clothing that needs to be washed, dry cleaned or mended. Perhaps you will need to shop for items. If you cannot find an item you know you have somewhere, you will still have time to look for it and be thankful your plane is not about to leave. When you carry your own luggage you will soon discover the value of traveling light. The more bags you take with you, the more weight to carry and the more to safeguard as you stand in lines and go through security. When you pack ahead you can make sure your things will fit in the luggage you plan to use and make adjustments without feeling pressured.
4. Be flexible. While planning ahead you want to retain some flexibility. You do not want to be locked into a schedule so tightly that if you miss one event, the others all collapse like dominoes. By staying flexible, you can relax even if your itinerary changes unexpectedly. A looser schedule allows you to take advantage of unexpected opportunities. Perhaps a location turns out to be nicer than anticipated and you decide you want to stay there longer. Or you might want to visit an attraction the following day because it was closed as you first got there. Knowing you have the freedom to make changes helps to prevent travel stress.
5. Factor in some time to adjust. Getting used to new environments does take some time and emotional energy. Not only you, but your traveling companions, e.g. spouse, children and friends need time to acclimatise. By taking this into consideration you do not have to fly off the handle if they are a little irritable. Rather, you can help them come to terms with their new situation and smooth the way.
This list of tips on how to overcome travel anxiety is by no means all-inclusive. I plan to add to it in a future post. In the mean time I hope you find this helpful. Do you have a great tip to share? Please post a comment. I look forward to hearing your advice on how to avoid travel stress.
