Anonymous wrote:Exactly -- you need to prime the pump.

My SIL is like you (we share a beach house every year). One year she actually showed up and started doing laundry. Literally an hour after arriving. She has 4 kids, and they have this "never touch fabric twice" thing (if a kid puts on a shirt and decides to wear another, the first one goes in the laundry). So they are constantly doing laundry. I think she just went into auto-pilot mode at the beach and started loading the washing machine.

Make a list of things that stress you and a list of things that relax you. For the first two days, don't do anything on the first list and try to do as many things as possible on the second list.

For me, that means alcohol, bare feet resting up on something, no makeup, no electronics, and someone else cooking me dinner.

OP here, great input, thank you!

Exactly -- you need to prime the pump.

My SIL is like you (we share a beach house every year). One year she actually showed up and started doing laundry. Literally an hour after arriving. She has 4 kids, and they have this "never touch fabric twice" thing (if a kid puts on a shirt and decides to wear another, the first one goes in the laundry). So they are constantly doing laundry. I think she just went into auto-pilot mode at the beach and started loading the washing machine.

Make a list of things that stress you and a list of things that relax you. For the first two days, don't do anything on the first list and try to do as many things as possible on the second list.

For me, that means alcohol, bare feet resting up on something, no makeup, no electronics, and someone else cooking me dinner.

OP here, thanks for all replies, I guess the consensus is to hurry up and do something extraordinary relaxing the moment you hit the tarmac at vacation location....

Dinner out, groceries stocked, weed, alcohol, morning spa appointment.

Just went to a familiar spot for a long weekend and PP is right! You don't have to go to the same place every year but there is something nice about already knowing what restaurants are good or kid-friendly, where to get groceries, what spots are worth it to visit (for body surfing, wildlife viewing, art galleries & shops, waterfall hikes or whatever) and which spots are 'meh.' I like to bring the "good camera" and revisit places that looked like good photo ops like old marina bait shops, tree lined rows of Victorian houses, light houses...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I like returning to a familiar place for vacation. Knowing what to expect, where to shop, what to eat, where to find things, etc. helps keep those first days more relaxed.

I also take a book I really want to read so in excited to get started on it. Or better yet, start it before you leave so it's calling out to you to finish!

You and I have a very different concept of 'vacation.'

I agree. This sounds awful.

Anonymous wrote:I like returning to a familiar place for vacation. Knowing what to expect, where to shop, what to eat, where to find things, etc. helps keep those first days more relaxed.

I also take a book I really want to read so in excited to get started on it. Or better yet, start it before you leave so it's calling out to you to finish!

You and I have a very different concept of 'vacation.'

I like returning to a familiar place for vacation. Knowing what to expect, where to shop, what to eat, where to find things, etc. helps keep those first days more relaxed.

I also take a book I really want to read so in excited to get started on it. Or better yet, start it before you leave so it's calling out to you to finish!

Alcohol!

When I worked a high stress job, I would schedule a massage for the first day of the vacation. It was the only thing that would speed up the acceptance that I was allowed to relax.

My BIL is like that. We go to the beach with them every year, and he arrives tense and agitated and truly unable to wind down.

We're going on again in July (Sunday to Sunday), and SIL actually booked a hotel and plans to drive down a day early so BIL can have 24 hours to adjust before the fun begins. I think it's a good idea.

I make sure my house is perfectly clean before we go on vacation. All laundry is done. All yardwork done. Etc. This can be super stressful, so it may be worth building in a visit from a cleaning company before you head out of town. Perhaps a neighborhood teen could take care of mail pick up/ yard work/etc.

Definitely no cell/email. Don't do the whole.. I may be able to check my email if there is something important.. routine. I am on vacation. I am entitled a break. I will be a better parent/worker/human being after it is over. For one week.. I am being selfish.

Make sure you have fully budgeted for the trip. I often spend the first few days worrying about the expenses, trying to not go overboard. Usually by midweek I get to the point where I don't care about that. It definitely helps to have cash in my pockets, verses credit cards, for some of these expenses so I feel less guilty.

Maybe book a spa item for day one. Pedicures always make me feel vacation ready. I often don't have time before the trip so doing it on the trip solves that problem.

STOP thinking about work. It will all be waiting for you, nobody's life is at stake (unless you're a particular type of doctor), and there's no point to letting work worries bleed into your vacation. Immediately do something fun and vacationy upon arrival; do the unpacking afterwards. Do some stretching routines to release tension in your muscles. Tell yourself that all routines and rules as far as any kids can be a bit relaxed. Glass or two of wine or whatever each night, starting the first night.

Lock up your phone and don't check email. That is the number one thing that stresses me out.

Not sure if this question belongs here or under the health section, but I'll try here.

Past few years whenever we've taken a one week vacation (Saturday to Saturday), I haven't felt truly relaxed until around midway into the vacation ie around Wedn or Thur, and as such I've only had Wedn/Thur/Fri/Sat as truly relaxing days. Are there any things or techniques you do in order to get the relaxing sensation earlier in the vacation? I wish I could start winding down a week prior, however, taking a week off means that the home/work to-do's for that vacation-week have to be taken care of the week prior, hence adding to the stress, so as much as I'd like to decrease stress prior to vacation, its not that easy.

Any thoughts? What worked for you? Or are you relaxed from day one? If so, how do you do it?

Thank you.