8 ways to de-stress while travelling
1. Plan your time
If you’re always missing transport connections, look at how you are allotting your time. Your travel guide may say it takes 40 minutes to get to the airport. Allow at least an extra 20 minutes so you arrive feeling fresh and calm.
2. Escape briefly
Slip away from the hustle and bustle once in a while. Most cities have botanic gardens, and there are always nature trails where you can enjoy the local scenery.
3. Avoid unnecessary tech accessories
Smartphones, tablets or computers remind us of home. Leave as much technology behind as you can and allow yourself to feel a sense of freedom from everyday life.
4. Do just one thing a day
For example, if you’re sightseeing, choose one place to visit (instead of four) and make a day of it with lunch or coffee in a nearby cafe.
5. Bring snacks
Have a bag of non-perishable snacks on hand (try protein bars, dried fruit and nuts, juice boxes, or pretzels). Unexpected delays on a long journey will be more stressful if you’re hungry.
6. One in a while, do nothing
Lie down and just unwind.
7. Stretch
Long bouts of sitting on planes and trains take a toll on your circulation. Lift your knees and stretch your calves for 30 seconds. This reduces the risk of blood clots that can result from sitting too long in one position.
8. Keep perspective
Your troubles are often smaller than they seem. To remind yourself of that, keep a picture of the Earth taken from space, a starry night, or the ocean, and look at it whenever you feel overwhelmed. Amid countless stars and the crashing of waves against the shore, how important is getting to that third museum, really?
This article first appeared in Reader’s Digest. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, here’s our best subscription offer.