How to ACTUALLY Have a Relaxing Vacation!

It’s time for Summer vacation! It’s finally YOUR time to take a break from life. The point of a vacation is to feel less stressed and exhausted from the reality of life and just RELAX. 

However, sometimes our thrilling getaways begin to mirror the stress and exhaustion that we experience during our daily lives. In order to have the best vacation possible, we over-plan and sometimes overspend when we don’t need to. Despite taking a break from work, we STILL feel pressured to answer phone calls and check emails while laying out in the sun or exploring. Here at Chloe Johnston Experiences, we value the type of travel that includes relaxation. It is very important to us that you leave your vacation with happy and long-lasting memories. Our team has compiled a list of several ways for you to truly relax on your next vacation.

 Notify your work about your vacation and set boundaries early

While many of us focus on booking flights, hotels, activities, and restaurants, we tend to notify our colleagues about our trip at the last minute. We are then given assignments and feel pressured to be available via email or phone during vacation. We know many of you have been laying out by the ocean, listening to your favorite playlist, and all of a sudden your boss calls and interrupts your peaceful state. Nobody wants that! Instead of waiting until the last minute, inform both your colleagues and boss about your vacation as soon as you plan to book your flights. If possible put it on everyone’s calendar so you can all be on the same page. Then about a week before you depart, give everyone a gentle reminder. 

It’s also very important to not only notify your work, but to also set boundaries. If you state to your boss ahead of time that answering work calls or emails during your vacation will not be possible, be sure to have everything completed before you leave and someone ready to step up in your absence. Perhaps your boss agrees that they will only call you in case of “work emergencies.” In that case, establish a connection with a responsible and trustworthy colleague and utilize him/her as an emergency contact. You want to avoid work responsibilities when you are on your getaway and you can as long as you inform your workplace in advance.

Limit access on your phone

While you are determined to not reply to emails and answer phone calls from work, you do not necessarily have to abandon your phone. We understand that you may need it for a map, to contact loved ones, or are using it as your camera. However, the best way to truly experience a destination is to be as fully present as you can and this includes not being glued to your screen. If you are having trouble restricting your phone usage, limit screen time on your phone instead. The best vacations are the ones where we can unplug from the world, and that includes not utilizing our phones every second!

The Location You Choose MATTERS

There are so many locations that offer different experiences for everyone, and it is important to select a location that best fits YOUR needs. While you may dream of visiting cities like Tokyo, you should ask yourself some questions. Does this fit your personality and what you want to experience during your vacation? If you have heightened anxiety or are claustrophobic, it’s best to stay away from bustling and populous cities like Tokyo and opt for a more spacious and less-crowded location. We all want to explore various parts of the world, but it’s very important to remind yourself to pick a location that will make you the most comfortable and relaxed. 

Don’t over-plan activities and try to schedule time to unwind

Because we desire to have the absolute best vacation, some of us think that scheduling every minute with something to do will keep us busy. It’s important to try to visit some of the major landmarks of a given country (that interest you the most), but focusing on scheduling visits to as many sites as possible to cross off your bucket list can easily cause stress. We recommend that you focus on the absolute most important sites of that given location instead of committing to every landmark. If your location has more than a few major landmarks, it’s best to ask yourself: “How do I want to experience this site and does it cater to my wants/needs?” It’s also important to schedule time to actually relax. Schedules change especially while traveling, so making sure you have some down time will allow you to not burn out after day one. You can lay out by the ocean listening to the sound of the waves or sit at a public park people-watching. Remember, this is your time to unwind and relax!

Book a Travel Package with Chloe Johnston Experiences!

It’s important to have the perfect combination of planned activities and downtime. However, the problem that arises for most people is simply finding a way to create a schedule that not only pleases themselves, but other members of their party. Whether you are traveling to a popular destination or a non-touristy excursion, there are a wide range of activities that you have to choose from within a short period of time. Going online and searching for the best activities may lead you to results, but online platforms do not have the ability to understand you personally and what you’re specifically looking for in your vacation. That’s why it’s best to consult an expert, specifically with our team at Chloe Johnston Experiences. Unlike other travel packages that create a predetermined list, we understand that this trip is about you and will be different than say your neighbor traveling to the same location. Booking a travel experience based on YOUR wants and desires is the ultimate way to truly relax during your getaway.

It does sound quite silly to provide tips on how to relax on vacation, but unfortunately for many, the planning process and the actual getaway can become a very stressful period. At Chloe Johnston Experiences, we value your wellness and comfort combined with luxury travel in order to create the perfect experience. For more information regarding our travel packages, visit our Destinations Page and contact us at info@chloejohnston.com.