10 Tips for a Stress-Free Vacation

Posted on 01/21/2017

"A Nice Place To Sit" by Richard Walker is licensed under CC BY 2.0

10 Tips for a Stress-Free Vacation

1. Plan the timing of your vacation appropriately

Don’t travel right before a big launch or during a big work project; you don’t want to be stressed during your vacation.

2. Use a Travel Consultant
A Travel Consultant can save you time, money, and stress when it’s time to plan your vacation. A Travel Consultant’s expertise also comes in handy if you’re looking for a personalized vacation, whether you’re traveling with your family, in a group, or you have health issues that need to be accommodated.

3. Prepare for your vacation
Make sure your e-mail out-of-office is turned on, your voicemail message reflects your vacation availability, and advise your “second-in-command”, i.e. your backup, with any outstanding matters.

4. Pack smart

Train your mind to approach packing logically and reasonably rather than emotionally – pack the stuff you know you will need versus the stuff that you think you might maybe need in case of a very specific situation. Whether you choose to check in your luggage or fly with a carry-on, you want to maximize the space you have. Pack clothes based on the length of your trip, the weather at your destination, and the activities planned during your vacation.

5. Plan for the unexpected
A well-stocked mini travel health kit can allow you to handle minor injuries and illnesses as well as manage pre-existing medical conditions, and can save you from some inconvenient trips to a doctor when you’re on vacation. When packing one, be sure to think about who’s traveling with you and consider their needs accordingly. Another tip for preparing for unexpected financial emergencies is to not just reply on your credit cards for spending – bring some cash in case credit cards aren’t accepted or in case they stop working for whatever reason.

6. Check-in in advance
Most airlines permit online check-in up to 24 hours before departure. By checking-in online, you can select your preferred seat in advance, add your frequent flyer number for mileage accumulation, and inform the airline on how many bags you are intending to check-in, thus saving time at the airport.

7. Make sure the kids are happy

Happy kids, happy parents! As much as a vacation is time to do things that are out of the ordinary, a certain loose schedule accompanied by some basic familiar routines (especially for a baby or a toddler) offer some predictability. Most importantly, make sure to have age-appropriate expectations – children are children, wherever they go!

8. Don’t let work ruin your vacation
Sometimes you have to take work with you on vacation, it can’t be helped. If that’s the case, set aside a couple of small blocks of time that you can use to deal with any urgent work matters. But make sure you save the rest of the time for enjoying your vacation.

9. Don’t plan every minute of your trip
Go with the flow. Meticulously hyper-planning your vacation time only limits your overall experience and unavoidably focuses on quantity versus quality. “Winging” your vacation is a lot less stressful and will give you more room to discover and appreciate your surroundings.

10. Buy travel insurance
Eliminate the “what ifs” from your vacation and ease your stress by purchasing travel insurance to protect your vacation investment and to offer yourself and your family a worry-free vacation. The cost of insurance is minimal compared to the risk of facing a medical emergency expense while away from home: https://www.vcdtravel.ca/travel-insurance.