Sometimes, the moments meant to bring us the most joy can cause us the most stress. Travelling during our summer time off always sounds like a great idea… and yet, as the day approaches, we might find ourselves feeling more anxious than excited— especially for us nervous flyers or chronic over-thinkers.
From the fear of unexpected travel delays, to losing luggage, to even worrying about unanswered messages on your phone, travel stress is real and can ruin the moments meant to be our happiest. Often, we feel pressured to be relaxed and grateful for our time off no matter what (especially when we’re travelling to a special destination). Seeing other people’s social media posts can also put pressure on us to perform during our vacations; to take cute photos and share them online, or to meet the expectations set by the photos and videos others have shared. This kind of stress affects nearly everyone, yet we often don’t talk about the best ways to unwind, relax, and prepare for our personal time.
No matter what kind of vacation you’re taking or how far you’re travelling, travel-related stress can show up in numerous ways. You might feel anxious about visiting a new place, or strenuously plan your time off so you can ‘get the most’ out of it. But this isn’t the right way to enjoy your time off, and it doesn’t help you to unwind away from work.
Let us tell you how to truly utilize your time off without pressuring yourself to maximize your holiday, and get some well-deserved relaxation.
Here are some tips and tricks for stress-free travel:
- Enhance the joy of your journey by planning ahead. If you can find the time, the best way to travel stress-free and keep your vacation as relaxing as you need it to be is to plan and book things ahead. This can look different depending on what kind of vacation you’re taking. Book flights, hotels, or excursions in advance, and maybe plan a few restaurants you’d like to check out that fit within your price range. Also, it’s important to understand how public transportation works in the city you’re arriving in, or make sure to rent a car ahead of time. Don’t let yourself procrastinate! Your future self will thank you. It’s always helpful to build yourself a flexible itinerary before your travels so you know everything you need to book or buy in advance.
- Another word of advice for anyone travelling with others: assign a day on the itinerary to each member of the group, and make that day their responsibility to plan. Planning time off with others can be a fun activity that not only delegates the responsibility of planning your travels, but also helps build the excitement, and gives everyone a day where they can do exactly what they want.
- Make a packing list. Sometimes when you sit down in front of your empty suitcase trying to think of what you’ll need to fill it, your mind comes up blank. A post by The Calm Blog states that this problem is exactly why you should make a packing list! In the days or weeks leading up to your trip, keep a notepad or use the notes app on your phone to write down things you’ll need to pack as soon as they pop into your head. These are the things you use every day without even realizing it, but you certainly wouldn’t want to go without!
- Find quiet spaces. For many of us, the stress of travelling comes from being overstimulated by large crowds, long lines, or loud areas. When you feel yourself getting overwhelmed, try to find a quiet, safe space where you can recover for a minute or two and focus on all the positive things around you. This also applies to airports! Taking deep breaths in a quiet space is never an overrated way to help you relax and better enjoy your time.
- Have printed and/or digital versions of your most important paperwork. Accidents happen, and papers get lost sometimes. To feel a little less stressed and to make sure the worst doesn’t happen, keep copies of your most important documents when you travel. Losing your passport is a lot less stressful when you have a printed copy as backup in your backpack, which will help speed up the process of getting you new documentation to get you back home. Alternatively, if your phone dies while you’re at the airport and you can’t find a spot to charge it, having a printed boarding pass will make sure you still catch your flight on time.
- Always be early. Speaking of catching your flight on time… nobody wants to be sprinting through the airport with their luggage, sweating as they hear the last call for their boarding. In the days leading up to your travels, make sure you schedule enough time so that you arrive at bus stops, airports, or other reservations early, and so that unforeseen delays won’t hold you back.
- Your phone should be a support tool, and not an expectation of how you should spend your time. Forget those ‘perfect’ Instagram selfies. Forget what ‘that’ travel influencer posted about, and don’t listen to whether this is overrated, or if that is a must-do. The best way to avoid stress during your travels is to let go of the expectations social media puts on us and spend time enjoying the world, rather than being triggered by fake AI videos or getting stuck endlessly scrolling. Don’t let your phone pull you away from all the good things happening around you. Instead, use your phone productively—to easily manage bookings, follow maps of unfamiliar places, or snap a shot of something that makes you happy (something that isn’t staged just for the intention of posting!). LifeBonder is all about living life and keeping it real.
Most of all, just accept what happens. This tip comes from an article by Happy Wanders: There are things you simply can’t control, and problems will likely always arise during your travels. But that shouldn’t stop you from enjoying yourself. If something unplanned happens, take a deep breath, understand your feelings, and then try to turn it into something positive. Miss the bus? Take the next one, or try a more scenic route and walk to your destination. Maybe your group can’t agree on what to do for the afternoon? Split up for a few hours and then reconnect over a nice dinner to talk about what you did. A change of plans is never the end of the world.
Why this matters to LifeBonder
At LifeBonder, we recognize how important it is to take time for yourself and reconnect with the world around you. Travelling—or even just enjoying time off from work at home—is a great way to maintain a calming balance in your life and dare to be your authentic self. We also know that social media can put a pressure on us to be ‘perfect,’ even when we’re trying to relax. Especially when we’re trying new things or experiencing new adventures, we get anxious and we make mistakes, or things don’t turn out exactly as we hoped. At LifeBonder, we don’t judge. We want you to live your life and rediscover who you are… even if that means making a packing list before you travel so you don’t forget to bring your favourite pair of socks.
Check out some of our other posts about mindful travelling:
Sources
This post drew inspiration from the following sources:
Bart, Anthony. “Best Ways to Travel Stress-Free — 22 Tips for an Enjoyable Trip.” Happy Wanders. http://happywanders.com/best-ways-to-travel-stress-free/ Accessed 30 June 2026.
Hepburn, Gina, Rachel Lyle, and Marion Maclaine. “15 Stress-Free Travel Tips to Ease Your Vacation Anxiety — Calm Blog.” The Calm Blog, Calm, 14 Aug. 2023, https://blog.calm.com/blog/stress-free-travel-tips. Accessed 30 June 2026.
“What to Know about Travel Anxiety.” WebMD, 23 Feb. 2026, https://www.webmd.com/anxiety-panic/what-to-know-travel-anxiety. Accessed 30 June 2026.
Photo credit: Kelsey Gatis.
Kelsey Gatis
Kelsey is a writer and aspiring journalist with a BA in English Literature and Creative Writing. She is currently studying for her MA in English, with courses focusing on culture, society, and history.
