How to Deal With Traveling Stress

Whether traveling for business or a family vacation, expect stress from controlled and uncontrolled factors, such as weather, traffic, rude or annoying people, lack of rest and the inability to schedule. Individuals, groups or families can all find ways to cope with traveling stress. Traveling stress is never fun, so being able to manage the stress will make your trip much more pleasant.

Instructions

Breathe Deep

1

Find a quiet place, such as your hotel room, a local park, a clean bathroom stall, a local library or a gym. If you are in your car, pull over to a rest area or a large parking lot away from traffic.

2

Close your eyes and start taking slow, deep breaths, filling your lungs and exhaling just as slowly. This should calm you down. Using this strategy relieves stress on your heart, improves your energy level and boosts your mental awareness.

3

Think about your current stress and what is causing it. Ask yourself whether this is something you can correct now and if you have control of it.

4

Let go of an issue that you cannot deal with immediately. If you can deal with an issue, responsibly and calmly negotiate the challenge.

Get Enough Sleep

5

Get an acceptable amount of rest and sleep during your travels. Despite all the responsibilities you might have for work or all that you want to accomplish during a vacation, it is important to rest your body to help minimize traveling stress. According to EverydayHealth.com, signs of sleep deprivation include fatigue, digestive problems, headaches and trouble concentrating.

6

Set an appropriate time to go to bed for everyone on the trip. Set the alarm before going to sleep. If children are involved in family travel, they will need more sleep than adults.

7

Get up when the alarm goes off, and do not hit the snooze button.

8

Practice the steps for breathing deeply to allow yourself a calm, relaxed start to the day.

Write It Down

9

Get a piece of paper and a pen. Sit in a comfortable chair for 10 minutes without any distractions.

10

Ask yourself some questions about traveling habits that include whether you leave for appointments or reservations at the last minute and if everyone in the party is allowed enough time to get ready. Other questions to consider are if each individual gets enough sleep, enough time to eat, and whether the focus of the trip remains constant.

11

Seeing your traveling habits written down in front of you will help determine if there are habits or traveling patterns that may contribute to traveling stress recur. If there are answers that help you recognize the need to change traveling habits, keep the list and alter your travel routine to reduce or perhaps eliminate traveling stress.

Find Some Humor

12

Take at least 15 minutes to sit in front of the TV or computer to browse the Internet.

13

Find a funny movie or look up some humorous videos on YouTube.

14

Laugh, laugh and relax for that allotted time. This is a wonderful stress reducer.