How to Relax on Vacation

Last Updated: June 17, 2021 References

Vacation time is the best time of the year, or is it? While taking a break away from the office seems like a great idea on paper, it can actually be more stressful for some people than just staying in the office. If you've ever had the feeling that you need another vacation to get over the vacation you've just had, there's a fair bet that you don't really know how to relax fully when on a break. It's important to learn to take a real break for vacation, so that you can restore your energy, rejuvenate your sense of purpose and return to work or studies fully refreshed. Learn various ways to help yourself relax more deeply while on vacation.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Making Smart Decisions on Vacation

1
Set a clear boundary with the office. If you say you will not work on your vacation, stick to it. This includes defining for the office staff what would be an “emergency”. Limit the access to your emergency contact information to a trustworthy and experienced co-worker you can trust to buffer you from unneeded contact. When you tell someone you won't be checking messages, stick to it.
2
Turn the ringer off. Don't allow the phone to intrude on your vacation. Resist the urge to constantly check for updates. If your message says you are checking voicemail once an evening, do just that. Tell people before you leave that you won't be checking it often, so if there is an emergency, have them call the hotel or resort if they can't reach you.
- Realize that most of the time, work problems aren't actual emergencies.
- As tempting as it may be, do not forward your office phone to your private cell phone.
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3
Remind yourself often that you're on vacation to relax. Find the best way to relax and explore what it means for you to take a break. Enjoy the beauty around you and take a moment to focus on the natural beauty. Enjoy it and let it be.^{[1]
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- Be mindful during your trip. Breathe deeply often, to slow yourself down. Take a deep breath by slowly inhaling and exhaling for 3 seconds. Really take a moment to appreciate the surroundings around you. Close your eyes and just focus on the smells, sounds and warmth of the run.
4
Go slowly and make time to just do nothing. Sit on a beach without a schedule or agenda. If you are at a resort sneak away to a quiet spot like a hammock and spend even a little bit of time alone. Give yourself permission to clear your mind.^{[2]
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5
Schedule out plenty of fun activities. While it's always nice to have unplanned time during your vacation, too much down time might tempt you to get back in work mode. To prevent this, plan out an itinerary--with built in spaces for rest and relaxation. Just be sure to fill your itinerary with exciting activities that suit both you and your travel mates. Don't simply fill every hour of your schedule just because you think you should.^{[3]
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- Also consider making additional preparations to suit any kids on the trip. For example, if you may want to veg out on the beach but children may start to get bored doing this each day. Schedule in some fun kid-friendly activities to keep them engaged, satisfied and out of your hair.
6
Build a buffer into your vacation.^{[4]
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Research source} You can maximize the enjoyment and minimize the stress of your vacation by carefully planning you re-entry to your normal routine.
- No one wants to survive a 14-hour long flight across the globe and then have to show up for work in the next 10-12 hours after the plan lands. Always give yourself ample time to bounce back from your vacation by scheduling in enough time to fully recuperate after your travels and before returning to work.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Practicing De-stressing Activities

1
Focus on de-stressing. If your thoughts keep returning to work, studies, and solving world problems, remind yourself that you're on vacation and that a rested mind is a more productive one upon return.
- Resting and fully relaxing will allow you to be more creative, thereby sparking new ways of seeing things, new ways of solving problems and new ways of fixing what isn't working in your life. Don't deny yourself these possibilities.
2
Find a quiet space on the beach or poolside to sit down. Focus on your surroundings and experience everything you can. Remind yourself to slow down enough to listen to the waves, feel the breeze on the beach and breathe in clean ocean air. Wherever you are, take in the physical surroundings.^{[5]
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3
Relax your body. Just as it's important to release those mental worries, it's also significant to relieve physical tension. There are lots of great ways to do this, here are just a few: ^{[6]
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- Go for regular swims that involve bobbing around the pool or watering spot. Just enjoy the water. Swimming is great for de-stressing your muscles, and it can really make you feel more like you are on holiday.
- Get a massage. Visit the spa for a soothing massage as often as you can. Enjoy them thoroughly.
- Do some meditation.^{[7]
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  Expert Source
  
  Masha Kouzmenko
  Meditation Coach
  Expert Interview. 26 March 2020.} If you don't know how, use the vacation to find someone to show you and share this joyous journey together.
4
Focus on your inner self. Explore what makes you feel relaxed and rejuvenated. Whatever was stressing you, it is over right now. Savor this moment as one to recall for later. Trust your co-workers to handle things while you are gone, and give yourself permission to do self-care.^{[8]
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- Practice using a positive self mantra if you find yourself worrying about work. Remind yourself, “I am not working this week and I left work in good hands.”
5
Apply a good layer of sunscreen and take a nap in a lounger. Enjoy the warmth on your skin and resist setting an alarm. Before you fall asleep, imagine that you are relaxing from toe to head. Start by letting your toes go limp, then your ankles, legs, hips, torso, arms, chest, neck and finally, your head. You should try to do this as slowly as possible, really focus on releasing every ounce of tension.
- Do not worry about making it all the way through the exercise. There is a good chance you will peacefully fall asleep. When you wake up, you should feel relaxed.^{[9]
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  Mayo Clinic
  Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
  Go to source}
6
Have some fruit/leaf/green/mint tea. These are great for de-stressing you, especially chamomile. Tea can be enjoyed warm or in a big glass with ice. Enjoy the taste and smell of the tea.
7
Laugh with your friends or family.^{[10]
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Research source} Enjoy being calm and de-stressed by showing the light-hearted and humorous side of yourself. Take advantage of the time you have away from work to truly relax on your vacation and cherish this special time with loved ones.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Leaving Worries Behind

1
Prepare your staff and/or coworkers for your absence. Ensure that the remaining staff is prepared to take care of anything you usually handle. This means being organized and systematic prior to going on vacation, to ensure that the tasks that need doing will occur without you.^{[11]
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- Pass on vital files, notes, action items and meetings to a colleague or supervisor. Make sure your team is on the same page as far as who is stepping in to take care of which tasks and which tasks can simply wait for your return.
- Take special care to inform others who the contact person is while you are gone so they know who to call. Inform this person of what needs doing while you're away and what to do in an emergency--without having to contact you.
- Clearly define what you see as being an “emergency” and make sure everyone involved is empowered to act to solve an emergency.
- Update your outgoing voicemail message to include the facts about how long you are out of the office and contact information as to who callers can contact if they need someone before your return. Include a disclaimer that messages will not be checked until your return.
- Proactively touch bases with any high contact clients to make sure they know you are going to be out and offer any assistance you can prior to leaving.
- Put an "out of office" notice on your emails. Set an auto-reply to send a simple note back about your vacation in reply to emails. In this message include contact information for those who are covering for you.
- Leave tricky business with a competent person. Be wise and choose someone you know can handle the potentially explosive client, the nosy neighbor, or the meddling supervisor. This will help you to relax and you can expect a full report after the vacation.
- Always create a paper and email trail that shares who is covering what in case something does happen.
2
Pack for a vacation, not a business trip. Be mindful of the difference between traveling for fun or business. You will need comfortable clothes for the vacation, fun things to do (e.g. puzzles, books to read, craft items, etc.), tickets, passports, a cozy pillow, and anything else you can use to focus on down time. Travel without that suit bag you always carry for work and focus on light weight bags that travel easy.^{[12]
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- You do not need your work files or study notes, your deadline projects and anything else that is likely to disturb your chances of relaxation.
- Do not bring the office into your vacation rental. If you do have an emergency come up that requires a minimal amount of work, arrange to do the work in a conference room. This can include attending a meeting via Skype. Set aside a short window of time to do the work and stick to that schedule.
3
Suggest that others have the same mindset as you. It can be hard to enjoy a vacation if you're going on it with someone who cannot switch off work or studies but keeps focusing on these things instead of the vacation.
- Make arrangements to take once-in-a-lifetime adventures while vacationing to keep you and your vacation partners occupied. Sometimes the best way to avoid work is to stay busy.^{[13]
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4
Be selective about taking electronic gadgets with you. While it may not be reasonable to fully disconnect, chances are, any emergency contacts can be made through a single device.^{[14]
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- Look at the primary use of each of the electronic devices you are thinking about packing. The laptop you use for work does not need to go on vacation. You may want to take a digital camera and even a tablet for uploading pictures. If the item is purely for creative, fun and enjoyable purposes that feed into the vacation theme of relaxing, then maybe... but otherwise, be strict about not taking or using it.^{[15]
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Expert Q&A

Question

How can I destress while I'm on vacation?

Masha Kouzmenko
Meditation Coach
Masha Kouzmenko is a Meditation Coach and the Co-Founder of Silicon Valley Wellness, a company based in the San Francisco Bay Area that provides holistic health education services such as mindfulness meditation and yoga instruction to businesses. She has over five years of meditation and yoga instruction experience and specializes in guided meditation. She has a BA in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley.

Masha Kouzmenko

Meditation Coach

Expert Answer

You can set aside a few minutes every day to meditate and practice mindfulness.