Use This Checklist to Take a Stress-Free Vacation

July 28, 2022 by Madison Greer Staff Writer

Summer is synonymous with vacations, and vacations require logistical preparation. (What will I pack? What should I plan to do?) But it’s also important to ready yourself mentally for a period of wellness and rejuvenation to reap the full benefits of a well-deserved getaway. Making a checklist can help eliminate the stress of both, before and during your travel.

What the Research Tells Us

Giving yourself some time to take a break (https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/how-travel-affects-mental-health) and recharge can help increase creativity and prevent burnout in your day-to-day life. Researchers have also shown (https://doi.org/10.1177/0047287513496477) that travel experiences have a positive effect on mental health and wellness, improve (https://www.leehealth.org/health-and-wellness/healthy-news-blog/mental-health/the-mental-health-benefits-of-traveling) your sleep health and overall mood, and lower (https://doi.org/10.1038/s41593-020-0636-4) your risk for depression. Even the anticipation (https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797614546556) that you experience in the days leading up to a vacation can produce mental benefits and wellness.

Maximize those benefits by creating a to-do list to take the stress out of planning and travel, prioritize your well-being on your vacation, and leave worries behind. Here are some standard travel tasks to consider.

Before You Leave

While You’re There

When You Return


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