Do you have a holiday coming up soon? Here are specific ways to enhance presence and relaxation during your travels
Putting on your ‘OOO’ should feel like a chance to relax and reset, however, many of us can come home from a break feeling as though we never had it at all. The idea of needing a ‘holiday from your holiday’ is a common phenomenon often caused by a combination of factors that fatigue us psychologically. Maybe you still had big responsibilities while away, or kept checking your work emails without allowing your brain to fully relax.
Science suggests that the ideal holiday length to fully reset and reach peak happiness is around eight days. Whether your next planned trip is under or over that number, here are some extra measures you can take to ensure you come home feeling refreshed.
Curated experiences
Wherever your destination, try to weave some relevant experiences into your trip to feel connected to the country and surroundings around you. If you’re in Italy, you could take a pasta-making class, in France you could spend the afternoon wine tasting. Experiences that you can only gain in that particular place will help to ground you in the moment, creating memories that will last.
If you’re not into experiences or classes, you could simply go on a recommended walk route, or shop among the locals to take you out of your usual day-to-day routine and get a feel for how other people live their lives.
Reduce your screen time
The same way you remain mindful of your screentime on your phone at home, you should keep that energy with you while on holidays. Being on annual leave in a different environment doesn’t necessarily give you the green light to scroll endlessly. Make the effort to unplug from your phone and news that’s happening at home and allow yourself to foster deeper connections with the people and environment around you.
Choose your media wisely
While you spend less time on your phone, you can choose other means of entertainment to help you pass the time. Most common ones include reading, watching movies or creating art. Just like your activities and experiences are chosen in accordance to the landscape around you, you should do the same for your entertainment. For example, you could choose a book set in the country you’re in, a movie directed by a person from that country or you could pick up some paints and pencils and draw what’s in front of you.
Set intentions
It might sound like homework at first, but setting your intentions for your trip will mean that you will get the most from it. Often we focus on the itinerary of an adventure, but we rarely think about what we want to gain from it. Before your next holiday, think about how you would like to feel (relaxed, adventurous etc) and check in with yourself at points throughout the trip to see if you have achieved that and if not, adjust accordingly.
