You may think that when you set off on your vacation, you are automatically going to become more relaxed than you are at home – after all, isn’t that what a vacation is for? Aren’t you supposed to be relaxed when you travel abroad?
Although instant relaxation would be a wonderful thing, for some of us, it’s just not possible; there is always so much going on around us, and in our minds, that true relaxation can’t happen unless we really push it to. Of course, being away from home will definitely help; here are some of the best ways to really and truly relax when on vacation. Do it right, and you’ll go home feeling completely refreshed and ready to tackle any challenge that comes your way.
Choose Great Accommodation
When you start to think about booking a vacation, your mind might automatically think about hotels, and for many, this will be ideal. Of course, you’ll need to do a lot of research, and you’ll have to make sure you pick one that is exactly what you need in order to relax more. Perhaps you want a hotel that’s within walking distance to a beach or one that has a kids’ club. Maybe it’s the restaurant you are interested in, and you’ll want to book somewhere that uses Richard Haworth table linens and has a reputation for fine dining. One of the best things about a hotel is that everything is done for you, and you don’t have to worry about a thing; you don’t even have to make your own bed or cook any food.
However, hotels can be stressful, especially if you have a young family to take with you, or perhaps there are a large number of you going on a family vacation. Children need their own space, and hotels aren’t always able to cope; the same is true of larger parties who want to be together but may be separated in a hotel. This can be stressful. It might be that a villa suits your needs better. Villas are a great type of accommodation because they are self-catering, meaning you can completely control what you and your children are eating (there won’t be any meltdowns in the restaurant in a villa), plus you can have a much larger space to live in. All in all, a villa can be a more relaxing place to be than a hotel, but this will depend on you and what you need to relax.
Try Not To Organize Too Much
Being organized is usually a good thing, and it can be exactly what you need in your day-to-day life at home. However, on a vacation, it might not be so useful. In fact, it can make things rather stressful, and you won’t be able to relax (neither will anyone else) if you are doggedly following a schedule all the time.
Too much planning ahead of time and not simply allowing yourself to be spontaneous and see how the day unfolds, even if that means ‘just’ lying on a beach or around the pool and dozing or reading a book, will only mean that you get stressed out and frustrated about trying to keep everyone where they should be, doing what they should do.
It’s a good idea to plan the two ends of your vacation, as you will need to know when you have to leave for the airport, for example, and how to get to your accommodation once you arrive. However, everything in between can be much less rigidly organized, although remember if you want to take part in activities it can be cheaper to buy tickets in advance, so take a look to make sure.
Don’t Get Sunburned
Sunburn can ruin a vacation, and it certainly won’t help you to relax if it happens to you. If you’re not careful in the sun when you are enjoying some well-earned time off on vacation, sunburn can happen in moments, but the effects can last the entire vacation, making it difficult to move around or even sleep. Plus, of course, the long-term effects of sunburn can be devastating, causing skin cancer in the future.
The sun doesn’t just burn; it can cause sunstroke too, and that is another way to have a terrible vacation and get stressed about it. You’ll feel extremely ill and may need to go to the hospital.
It’s easy to protect yourself from the sun. You will need:
- A high factor sun cream suitable for the whole family – this should be reapplied every three to four hours, and after swimming
- Sunhats
- A parasol or somewhere shady to sit when the sun reaches its hottest
- Plenty of water to drink
Stay Away From Social Media
Social media can be a wonderful way of staying in touch with friends and family and seeing what people are doing in their daily lives. It can also be a useful business tool. However, social media certainly has its darker side, and that can be distressing, depressing, and stressful. That’s not what will make for a relaxing vacation.
Then there is the pressure that we all feel, whether we acknowledge it or not, to snap the perfect shot for Instagram or Facebook or to come up with a witty tweet. We want to be liked (literally) and admired. Being on vacation is not the time to be stressing about making other people aware that you’re away (plus, it’s not ideal for home security either). Being on vacation should be about enjoying your time away from home and work and bonding with the people you are traveling with.
Therefore, try to have a social media break when you’re away. It might be hard at first, but if you can invest in a cheap digital camera to take your photos, you may not even need to take your phone out with you when you head to the beach or the pool, and that will help. By the end of your vacation, your digital detox will be complete.
