Managing Vacation Stress

Reframing an issue begins with perspective. It's often the case that when we are personally affected by something that makes us stressed, our perspective is distorted. This is something we all see in others but have great difficulty seeing ourselves because of our emotional investment. Think about alternative ways of responding that are more positive and that you feel you could achieve when in that situation. For example, if you know that someone's comments send you into a rage, think about taking a deep breath, counting to 10, and moving the topic on. Consider why the person is making these comments. Are they under stress? Do they have unresolved issues? You may not be in a position to do anything about them, but reframing the situation allows you to stand back and more objectively assess the bigger picture. If the atmosphere becomes suffocating, excuse yourself for a few moments and this will break into the tension.

Good nutrition and some general level of exercise can play a large part in building up resilience against stress. Ease off coffee and fatty or processed foods. Try to secure some ‘me' time at least once a day for a good 30 minutes or more. If this is difficult, try to find time with a close friend or relative and share some troubles.

Don't think in terms of success or failure with your strategy. Your first strategy is simply a course of action that may, or may not, work. If your strategy isn't working, or only part of it works, then move into new territory. Do this in turn for each of the issues that are causing your vacation stress. Some very practical issues can easily be resolved. For example, only buy gifts that are within your budget. Don't get into debt simply because of desire for a wonderful vacation. Tackling the practical and emotional aspects of stress means you will achieve mastery. Mastery simply means you will find that you are getting on top of stress, rather than the other way around.