Post-holiday slump: How to avoid coming back from vacation stressed

You've got your plan, you're excited, but nothing turns out the way you imagined it. Sights that looked beautiful online seem less impressive due to the crowds of tourists, the accommodation isn't that great, you can't stand the local food—or activities you really wanted to do are canceled due to bad weather or a different time of year.

This can be frustrating, and for some people, it becomes a stress trap. They expected a lot and sometimes even blame themselves because they should have known better. Here, we'll tell you how to minimize dissatisfaction and guilt on vacation and hopefully enjoy your next trip.

Perfection is not reality

A vacation spot may seem magical when you research it—and not live up to your expectations when you arrive. Nevertheless, it always has the following advantages: You're not at home; you get new impressions wherever you look, and you learn new things. The more open you are to your vacation experiences, the less disappointed you will be in the end.

If you take on too much, however, there's a high probability that you'll either not be able to do everything—or that you'll end up exhausted instead of relaxed. So, don't put too many things on your list. Write down what's absolutely essential for you and what you can skip. Realize that you don't have to do everything—and that breaks from your schedule are also necessary. Having a backup of activities isn't a bad idea. But it's also okay to decide one day to lounge by the pool or go shopping instead.

Are you planning a city trip or a trip to an amusement park? We often romanticize places like these in our minds. Have any friends been there before? Then try to get a realistic overview so you don't stumble into situations completely unprepared. For example, long lines, expensive food, crowded squares, unfriendly residents, or street vendors.

What to do?

A common problem is that people set specific goals and become fixated on them. For example, relaxing on an all-inclusive vacation and simply doing nothing. While this is commendable, it's not suitable for people who need variety. They might get bored and ultimately resent the fact that they didn't experience anything extraordinary. However, this feeling usually only sets in after a while. We often resent past events that we can no longer change. Therefore, it's important to be aware of what type of vacationer you are and what you need.

Figure out whether you prefer mountains, the sea, or city trips—whether hustle and bustle is for you, or whether you need peace and quiet and a small group. And depending on who you're traveling with, figure out where you have to compromise and where you complement each other. Find realistic goals for the trip. For example, spending time with a partner, regardless of whether you have to wait in line for a long time or something doesn't happen—you were still together. Have you ever taken a trip after feeling worse rather than better? Then explore the reasons and learn from them. Some of these could be:

• you have planned too much
• you haven't planned enough
• you had too rigid ideas about what you would experience
• someone has brought you down on holiday with his/her mood
• the place didn't suit you (for example, because there was too much or too little going on)
• the hotel was bad (pay attention to reviews)
• the weather was terrible, so maybe we need a different season or a different country

And if a vacation was truly a total failure, focus on small successes: You tried and tested it; and that, too, is already something to appreciate.

lkl Brigitte

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