9 Best Stress-Free Tips for Travelers Exploring the World
You are an explorer. You love to navigate through different countries and their cultures away from the pressures of a mediocre life and that 9-5 job.
You also have no time for any unnecessary stress and want to avoid it as much as possible so you can get the most out of your adventures.
To travel stress-free, you need to remember that stress is inevitable when you are traveling but you can control many variables to make your traveling experiences as low stress as possible.
This will give you more opportunity to focus on being mindful as you build on your traveling itinerary.
9 Best Tips for Stress-Free Traveling
1. Watch Your DietThe best diet plan when you are traveling is to eat as healthy as possible. This will not only give you the energy and stamina you need as you explore each new country, but your immune system will be at its optimal best to maintain your health while traveling.
2. Pack Light and SimpleWhen traveling you will be packing and unpacking numerous times so it’s a good idea to pack light, simple and proactively. You don’t need a lot when you are an explorer and only need one sturdy piece of luggage.
Roll your clothes when packing them. Not only will this save room but can prevent wrinkling of your clothing.
Use clothing and items that have multi-use. For example, pants that can be converted into shorts and use all season gear. Pack clothing that can be layered.
Layer to correlate with the different climates that you will be exploring. Pack two pairs of shoes and bring a few plastic bags to keep wet or dirty clothes in when you need to do so.
3. Don’t Be Frugal If You Don’t Have ToSpending money can be a huge stressor while traveling. If you are one of the lucky ones who is a nomad, creating money online while you’re traveling, then it’s not going to be as stressful.
But if you are on a budget while exploring the world, it’s important to spend your money responsibly.
However, being extremely frugal can lead to unsatisfied traveling experiences.
Spoil yourself occasionally during your travels by taking a taxi instead of a bus, eating at a restaurant rather than a cheaper option and giving tips when you feel inclined to do so.A good tip is the $10 rule. When you’re traveling, avoid stressing out about anything that is $10 and under.
So if you can’t find free wifi, find a place to pay for wifi as it usually costs less than $10. Also, you can eat three meals as each meal costs less than $10 so you will be well fed.
4. Healthy HikingHiking is one of the many adventures that you will be experiencing while exploring different countries. There are many healthy tips for hiking that ensures that you are hiking stress-free.
The most important things to remember while hiking is to stay hydrated and fueled up. Make sure that you have water with you always and extra food as you will be exerting a lot of calories during your hike.
Also, make sure that you have a first aid kit with you always for any emergency that comes up.
5. Keep Your Mental Health in CheckTravelling can be exhausting at times and if you’re traveling alone can get quite lonely. Studies show that loneliness can lead to depression.
It’s important to be aware of the symptoms of depression, take a break if you need and find support and the right resources to help you out when you need.
Symptoms to look out for are; persistent feelings of hopelessness, sadness or anxiety, feelings of suicide, loss in activities that were once enjoyable for you, loss of appetite, and insomnia.
6. Carry three copies of your passport in different placesThe worst kind of stress for travelers traveling the world is losing their ID, especially a passport.
Get multiple copies of your passport so you can keep stress at bay if your most prized traveling possession gets lost, stolen or destroyed.
Keep copies in your wallet or purse, in your luggage and a copy with a reliable friend or family member so you can contact them to get the info if you ever need to.
7. Memorize your passport number
To avoid any added stress, it’s a good idea to memorize your passport number. When traveling around the world, you will need your passport number for numerous different reasons.
For example, before any international flight, you will have a landing card to fill out that will require your passport number so it’s important to be prepared.
8. If Something Goes Wrong, Be Proactive
If something goes wrong, for example with your airline or hotel, be proactive and don’t wait for someone else to fix things for you. Most places will not act unless you step up and take initiative.
Try not to get angry but stay focused on a solution. For example, if you are challenged with a service, propose an alternative solution, how you want things fixed or speak to a manager.
Stay proactive to avoid any added stress to the already stressful situation.
9. Write Things OutStudies show that writing about your emotions can ease feelings of stress. When you’re traveling the world, you will experience many emotions as you witness new traditions, cultures, and climates. Writing things out can help you tremendously.
Writing to do lists can keep you focused on what you need to accomplish each day.
Writing about your traveling experiences in a journal can be very rewarding and wonderful to look back on as your eminence on your exploring days.
Conclusion
Remember that your focus should be on low-stress travel rather than no stress, as traveling can exhibit bouts of stress especially if you are unfamiliar with the new culture and traditions and where you will be staying next.
By following the above tips, you will notice a big difference in how you handle things.
Things are easier to control when you are more aware of them and leaves room to handle less controllable stressors in a more calm and efficient manner.
http://www.cnn.com/travel/article/healthy-eating-business-traveller/index.html
http://quatr.us/government/nomads.htm
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4819590/
https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/writing-about-emotions-may-ease-stress-and-trauma