There’s no doubt that travel around the holiday season can be anxiety inducing. With the large amount of people commuting to and from home, on their way to a winter escape or en route back home – holiday travel is overwhelming. Even as a seasoned traveler, I’ve found myself completely stressed midway through my journey back “home for the holidays.” Today, I’m sharing the simple, yet effective stress reducing tricks I use to deal with holiday travel.
Noise Cancelling Headphones
Music on, world off. Even after I’ve hustled to my terminal, I find that other’s stress levels increase my own! To escape the madness and ignore the arguments and tension, I always pop on my noise cancelling headphones and zone out to a peaceful playlist like this one. Nothing changes my mood quite like music!
Pre-Printed Itineraries
I can’t tell you why exactly, but something about printed tickets and itineraries with all my information on it does wonders to my stress level when maneuvering through holiday travel! Having a physical ticket in my hand assures me that everything will be okay. Does any one else feel this way?
Invest In Travel Insurance
With traffic galore around the holiday season, it’s important to plan for the worst. Should you miss your flight or need to make arrangements to change your plans, investing in travel insurance is a good idea. Peace of mind is worth the few extra dollars, if you ask me.
Get There Early
Just do it. Plan to be there early to avoid major lines and the headache of battling through security. Giving yourself a buffer of time to make your way through to your terminal alleviates the pressure to go-go-go! Getting to the airport early is a step towards breathing easier and lowering your stress level an enormous amount.
Wear Your Cozy Clothes
There’s absolutely no point in wearing constricting, uncomfortable clothes to the airport during the holidays. No matter if you’re the ultimate fashionista or on your way to meet up with friends you haven’t seen in a long time… trust me on this. There’s a way to look chic and put together while also being cozy. A comfortable, non-restricting outfit can soothe a stressful mind.
Acknowledge Your Lack Of Control
Truth be told, travel can be the ultimate form of “letting go.” With the lack of control we all have as travelers during the holiday season… the biggest take away I’ve found is to embrace the unknown. It may be seamless, it may be a complete mess… but you’ve got this.
You can’t control the delayed flights or the missing crew members. You can’t control the weather or the enormous security line. But you can control your response to the madness! Deep breathes, positive self-talk and using the tips mentioned above mindfully will pull you through.
