How to cope with holiday anxiety and switch off quicker on a trip away
Correction: An earlier version of this story included information from a source whose expertise may not be valid. The quotes from the source have been removed.
For many of us, a holiday is the chance to relax, spend quality time with friends and family and make some happy, sunny memories. But it isn't like that for everyone.
New statistics, from Babbel, have found that up to 30% of Brits have cancelled or changed travel plans due to preparation anxiety of the big event itself.
And it isn't just the worry about holiday prep, other aspects of a long-awaited trip can become an aspect of internal contention, particularly for those who already experience anxiety.
Previous findings from a survey carried out by Booking.com suggest that just over one in three people (36%) worry about things going wrong on the first day of their holiday. And for anyone with a nervous disposition the concept of travelling far away, particularly if it involves a flight, can also bring about the holiday jitters.
Eloise Skinner, psychotherapist and author suggests deliberately cultivating meaningful memories, rather than waiting for them to happen.
"In other words, if you want to remember meals with family or friends, or specific new experiences, plan them ahead of time instead of worrying about them while you're on your trip," she advises. "It's great to be spontaneous, but if you have holiday priorities, set them up ahead of time, so you can enjoy the moment once you get there, without worrying that you might miss out on creating something memorable."
Skinner suggests surrendering to the process, especially on challenging travel days, or days when your schedule (or the weather!) is out of your control.
"Much of our stress and anxiety on holiday can be traced back to high or specific expectations about what our experience should be like - how smoothly things should go, how much we should be enjoying it, and so on," explains Skinner.
Instead of holding up our reality to compare with our fantasies of the perfect holiday, Skinner suggests trying to sink into the present moment and accepting things the way they are.
"This process of acceptance might even enable you to find moments of joy within the inevitable chaos - even on hectic travel days!"
She also advises you give yourself a buffer time to ease into the holiday. "Don't expect the transition to be immediate, or hold yourself to impossible standards," Skinner says. "Instead of putting up hard boundaries around thinking of work, or checking social media, or getting updates on news stories, try a more gentle approach - give yourself some time to transition from everyday life to holiday mode."
Skinner says this might be a day or so, depending on the length of your holiday, but the goal isn't to be frustrated that you can't achieve immediate peace.
"By giving yourself some grace (perhaps a quick check of your work email, or catching up on socials), you might find you naturally transition into your holiday with greater ease and relaxation."
