Do you worry about your upcoming trip? Does sitting in an airplane for longer than an hour bother you? Do you get joy out of exploring a new city, or does it worry you to be someplace unfamiliar?
For many of us, travel is exciting, an adventure, and something to look forward to. For others, it can cause anxiety.
What do you do if you suffer from some anxiety?
First, don’t leave any planning, packing, checking your itinerary, printing your boarding pass, charging your phone, or anything else to the last minutes before you head out the door. Set a goal for yourself to be ready…absolutely ready… to go 24 hours in advance. Maybe 36 hours would be better for you. This means everything is done by that time. You might not actually call Uber for the ride to the airport. But, you know you need to do that. You also know how to do that. You’re not looking for the app on your phone with only minutes to spare.
I know it’s hard, but experts tell us to avoid caffeine and alcohol as a way to keep the anxiety level low. You know how you function, so maybe this isn’t for you.
You might look at meditating once your bags are packed. Take a few minutes to relax with no interruptions. I know one person who always gets a massage and a facial two days before she packs. Might be a good idea.
Another person suggested they like to do some exercises before they pack and then a few more once they feel they have everything ready to go.
Do you have a system that works for you?