For those of you who have seen part 1 of this, we are half way there, Tips 6 – 10 coming up. If you haven’t yet, check out Tip 1 – 5 after this. It may help give you some ideas about helping holidays become a bit less stressful.
Tip 6 – Don’t abandon good habits
Holiday is a time for letting your hair down but too much indulgence can lead to feeling guilty and stressed and, for some of us, the out of control feeling when we get back home. The good news is that you can still have a great holiday but still look after yourself by making sure you eat reasonably sensibly and getting exercise.
Tip 7 – Stick to a budget
It is easy to ignore the reality when on holiday which may mean credit card bills to pay back on your return. Even more so if your holiday is in the summer or autumn and before the lead up to a Christmas splurge.
Set yourself a realistic budget for the week or each day of the holiday and stick to it. It can be tricky if you are with friends who have different ideas of what they can afford but a little explanation of your
situation will help.
Tip 8 – Do something new
We can get in a rut with our holidays where we do similar things year after year. If you would like to make changes generally it might be an idea to do something new to introduce a new way of doing things or new traditions. You may have always wanted to go sea kayaking or learn some Spanish. You could set off at a different time or use the train rather than the ferry to get to your destination. It could be interesting to talk to friends and acquaintances about how they do things differently.
Tip 9 – Learn to say no
I’ve touched on this a little under Tip 7. If you are going away with friends and relatives, be honest about your expectations and your situation. If they want to do something that you can’t afford or don’t enjoy, then say no and arrange to meet up later. It is often easier to go with the crowd but if it comes with added pressure, is it really worth it? Have the discussions before hand so that everyone is clear about each other in the cold light of day and before you get to the danger point.
Tip 10 – Be realistic
This should probably be Tip 1 but I’ve put it in as number 10 as a reminder that we should have realistic expectations about our break time.
I’d love to wander around a beautiful city having a coffee in a street café and seeing beautiful things but with small children it isn’t going to happen. Take a new view of what a holiday should be and revise your expectations and visions accordingly. If you are realistic about it, you will find that you can relax that bit more and be just that little bit more yourself.
If you are struggling with anxiety and feel you need some help – call us on 0113 2583399 or get in touch with one of our therapists direct from the Who We Are page.