Holidays are supposed to be relaxing aren’t they? A time to re-charge batteries and all that? So why does the barest mention of holiday time put me on edge? I can’t decide if it’s all the organising needed to get everyone to the holiday destination in one piece and with all the right clothing, or finding activities for the whole family to enjoy together, or guilt that other families are going to far-flung places while we are hiring a cottage 4 hrs drive away or any number of other reasons.
The fact is that this time of year is anxious making for me and I can’t be the only one who feels like this. For those do feel the same, I’ve drawn up a quick 10 tips for managing the anxiety so that it doesn’t spoil the holiday time. The first 5 are on this posting with the second five to follow.
Tip 1 – look at your last holiday
Think about your last holiday and which parts of it made you anxious. There may be some things you can’t possibly control but for those that you can, look at how you could do things differently to help this time around. For example, if it is the packing that stresses you, start writing a packing list much earlier on and take ten minutes out to look properly at what you have before you start needing to shop for additional items.
Tip 2 – don’t try and do it all yourself – involve others
We are going on a family holiday so this year we are planning activities together and while there may be days where not everyone will enjoy the idea of what we are doing, we can choose to get involved and share the fun rather than opting out. Since it was a group decision, I don’t need to take full responsibility for the holiday or the fun value.
Tip 3 – Plan in relaxation time
Relaxation time doesn’t have to be days lying on the beach. It could be an hour reading a book under a beautiful tree or having a lazy morning or taking it in turns to monitor the kids while the other snoozes or has a long bath. Make sure you plan this into the schedule though so that everyone is agreed that this section of time is different.
Tip 4 – Slow it down
I have a tendency to want to fill every minute with activities to get the most of the holiday. I’m a morning person so want to be up and out by 8.00am which doesn’t suit everyone. Having fewer activities to worry about and more time to do it should help with the stress levels of getting everyone equipped and out and ready.
Tip 5 – Make a scrap book
One thing we have really enjoyed doing together is collecting bits and pieces for a holiday scrap-book that we put together over the holiday time. It can include leaves, tickets, leaflets, postcards, photos, scraps of writing. The children love drawing simple sketches of what we have been doing and adding speech bubbles. This kind of project helps keep us working together and have fun doing it and keeps me grounded in what is important.
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.