Self-care are practices which maintain or improve your mental, emotional, and physical health. In pop culture this is associated with yoga, skin care, and bubble baths. In real life, it more often takes the form of sleep, eating right, exercising, and breaks from screen time. Taking care of yourself while traveling can be difficult as you are away from your normal routine and trying to live your travel days to the fullest. Below are my top 10 ways to practice self-care while traveling.
Ways to Practice Self-Care While Traveling
1. Be Present in the Moment
Take as many photos and videos as you want, but then soak in the moment or scenery with your own eyes.
Don’t spend all your time on your phone. Limit the number of times you check your email and social media, possibly even setting specific times of the day to do it. That way you aren’t distracted the rest of the day.
Another way to absorb your time is to journal your thoughts and experiences each day.
2. Stay Longer, Travel Slower
Constant travel and activities can wear you out. Staying in one location for longer creates a real connection to the community and culture. Even if you want to visit multiple locations, taking the time to get fully situated and relaxed before jumping to the next place can really make a difference.
I have trouble with this one as I love to see as much as possible on my vacation days. If I am on a road trip, I often hit 3 or 4 states or areas during the trip. All that driving is tiring, but I purposely build in rest days and limit the number of hours I am willing to drive in a day.
3. Try Something New
Sometimes doing something new can affect your health and mood immensely. Reset by breaking from your everyday life and getting out of your comfort zone.
You may only visit this place or these people once in your life. Take that adventure if it interests you! I haven’t regretted when I took a leap.
In Mesa Verde National Park, you can take guided tours of cave dwellings. The only tour available the day we visited required climbing a 32-foot ladder to the dwelling and climbing up an additional 60 feet out on ladders and stone steps. I’m afraid of heights but I really wanted to see a cave dwelling. It ended up being my favorite memory of the park. I felt amazing after tackling a fear!
4. Get Outside and Exercise
Step outside and take in some fresh air and sunlight. Stretching your muscles can jump-start your mood. You can hike, bike, walk, run, or swim.
5. Eat and Drink Well
Drink water! Make sure tap water is safe for you to drink or invest in buying bottled water. Hydrating your body goes a long way in keeping your energy up.
Enjoy local dishes but don’t go overboard and throw off your stomach. Too much rich food can upset your digestion, especially on travel days.
Because I pack our days full of activities or driving, I have to make sure we have snacks in case we can’t find time for lunch.
6. Sleep Deep
There are several reasons people have trouble sleeping while traveling – Long travel days, extended periods sitting in one position, motion sickness, pressurized plane cabins, new time zones, altered routines, changes in diet, and unfamiliar sleep settings.
Good sleep gives you energy to enjoy your trip and helps ward off getting sick. Make sure you are getting enough sleep and don’t diverge too far from your normal hours.
If you’d like ideas on how to get good sleep, check out my 10 Tips for Better Sleep While Traveling.
7. Rest When Needed
Make sure to rest if you’re feeling burnt out or ill. While you may miss out on an activity or two, resting keeps you healthy enough to fight bigger issues and enjoy the remainder of your trip.
8. Relax and Reflect
One of the most enjoyable types of self-care is purposefully relaxing. Hang out in the room, laze by the pool, go to a spa, or read a book.
I always find watching a sunrise or sunset helps to center and calm me.
If you relax and are energized away from other people, plan time in your day where you can be alone.
9. Interact with Others
On the other hand, if you are energized by people, make sure you prioritize spending time with others. Travel with friends or family you don’t see often. Consider interacting with locals or meeting other travelers.
If you are traveling alone, call or message home if you are feeling disconnected.
10. Go with the Flow
No matter how much you plan, things will be out of your control. There will always be traffic, lines, crowds, delayed flights, or weather. Don’t let minor issues ruin your day or trip and stress you out.
Work around issues if you can and accept those you can’t. If you can’t do your planned activity, find another option, or switch things on your itinerary.
When we visited Lower Antelope Canyon, it rained the day of our scheduled tour. Due to dangers with flash flooding in the slot canyon, we were unable to go. Luckily, they were able to rebook us for the next morning. Because our tour was moved, we decided to spend the afternoon wandering around the southern end of Grand Staircase-Escalante instead.
While self-care looks different for each person, the 10 tips above are relatively universal. Keep tabs on your mental and physical well-being – check in with yourself. When you start to feel overwhelmed or burnt out, I hope one or more of the tips above help you!