How to Stay Calm When Traveling During the Holiday Season
The countdown is on and Christmas/New Year’s is right around the corner.
As an hard-core traveler, I’m in airports weekly, I have my Uber rides and hotels down to a science, and this is the time that I find myself taking in some deep breaths because all flights are booked, the airports are crowded, there are screaming kids running around like monkeys in a zoo, there’s no where to sit and my sense of anxiety is at an all time high.
So how do you keep your cool while people around you might lose it?
Even if you don’t travel as much as I do, I have some great tips below that will make your holiday travels nice and smooth and if there’s bumps along the way, you will have learned the necessary tools to handle them.
1. Get rest the night before
Go to bed at a reasonable time and get your zzzzz’s!
2. Pack EVERYTHING ahead of time and be 100% prepared prior to leaving for your trip.
Do not wait until the last minute to pack or even wait same day, because that not only creates added stress, but packing last minute may also make you forget important things like your phone charger (ha!).
3. Give yourself enough time to get to the airport, check in and get through security.
Granted I have the time it takes down perfectly, leaving me with 5 minutes to chill at the gate prior to boarding, (TSA and knowing the process are huge time savors). But during the holiday season, I giving myself a little extra time to make sure that there’s no mishaps.
4. Bring snacks for your trips – almonds, fruit, protein bars, candy…
Whatever makes you happy when the tummy gets hungry, make sure you have something to snack on.
5. Must.have.headphones!!!
This is a must, bring two pairs so you have a backup. Having headphones will keep your head sane and happy. Download a new audiobook or podcast and listen to it while you zone out any crying babies on your flight. Unfortunately those little ones have no way of controlling their feelings and bodies but if you have music, books and/or TV on your flight, it will help you feel more comfortable.
6. Pack just a carry on and pack well.
You’d be surprised all the crap people like to bring on planes and when they travel, and most of the time they don’t even use what they brought. Challenge yourself and bring only what is necessary, and pick outfits you can mix and match for multiple days to save space.
7. Help others in the airport if you see someone who needs it.
Whether it’s someone in a wheelchair who’s been left alone, someone who needs help lifting their bag in/out of the cabin storage, or a child lost in the airport. It’s a stressful time for those who don’t get out much and travel. Be aware of your surrounding, smile and help others on their travel day.
8. Be kind to the airline staff… they totally deserve it!
They deal with hundreds of people all day every day and they deserve to have customers who understand what they do can be stressful for them too. So if your flight is cancelled or overbooked, practice empathy and understand they’re doing everything they can to help you get to where you need to be.
Enjoy your upcoming trips! I’m planning a wonderful staycation at home and I look forward to relaxing by the beach and sleeping in during my Holiday break… T- 10 days for me 🙂
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